The community center senior program, which includes classes in art and exercise and offers services such as a lending library and blood pressure testing, will be the first in San Jose's District 9 to provide meals for seniors. The program's opening was the fulfillment of a campaign promise by council woman Judy Chirco.

"This nutrition program has been a priority for the community for a long time," Chirco said at a kickoff party on April 10. "And I'm very grateful for everyone who helped fulfill this campaign promise to District 9."

The center's nutrition program is the 12th in the city of San Jose, according to Diane Lindberg, a community service manager with the city's department of parks, recreation and neighborhood services. Though the nutrition program actually began March 24, the kickoff party was held a couple weeks later, when Chirco delivered her short speech to several dozen senior citizens who waited patiently for their servings of beef patties with mushroom gravy.

One of those seniors was Cecilia Humecke, who has lived on Sweetbriar Drive for 40 years.

"It was just wonderful today," she said.

During the past few years Humecke has come to the center occasionally, and she says it has improved. With the addition of a lunch program, she said, she might come more often.

"As a widow, you find yourself needing more companionship," she said. "I miss having someone around to share things with."

The other seniors who come for lunch help fill that void.

Bernie Schlobohm, who has lived in Cambrian Park for 30 years, comes to the center on Mondays for ballroom dancing classes. He isn't sure if a nutrition program will entice him to come more often. But he thinks it might be a good way to save time and money.

"It's hard to cook for one person," said Schlobohm, who lives alone. "You have to measure the food just right, and if you cook too much it all goes to waste."

Mary Gomez and Phyllis Cooke, both members of the center's Silver Singles club, said that the food was wonderful. However, what the seniors value is the companionship the lunch program provides.

"So many of us are alone," Gomez said. "It's nice to have lunch with people and enjoy their company."

Cooke said that she usually goes to the Willows Senior Center on Lincoln Avenue but might consider alternating centers since there are classes at the Kirk senior program that she can't take at the Willows.

The Kirk Community Center used to be an elementary school with a functional cafeteria, but that part of the campus was remodeled for youth theater activities. A smaller kitchen was installed in one of the nearby classrooms but it isn't large enough to cook for several people at one time, so the food is catered. The seniors are asked to donate $1.75 toward the meal. The city provides the location and staffing.

Funding for all the senior nutrition programs within the San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services comes from a fund that receives subsidies from the city's 1998 tobacco settlement.

Tobacco companies are required to make payments to 46 states totaling $206 billion over the next 25 years. The tobacco companies involved in the lawsuit—Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Lorillard Tobacco Company, Philip Morris Incorporated and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company—also need to help sponsor anti-smoking advertisements to deter underage smoking.

California dropped its lawsuit and settled for receiving $25 billion through the year 2025.

The revenues are to be split between the state and local governments, with 50 percent going to the state. Forty percent will go to counties, and 10 percent will go to the cities of San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. These cities had lawsuits of their own against the tobacco companies.

Tobacco money may provide an infusion of dollars, but the nutrition center still needs to campaign annually for funding through grant proposals, Lindberg said.

But for now Chirco is glad the tobacco settlement is funding the program.

"I love it," she said. "This has been one of my priorities for years."

The senior center at the Kirk Community Center is located at 1601 Foxworthy Ave. and is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. For more information about the senior nutrition program, call 408.269.0214.