The Local Office on Aging will mark the 20th anniversary of its Soup for Seniors program in 2026 with its annual canned food drive, an effort that continues to benefit older adults in Salem and across the Roanoke Valley.
Founded in 2006 as a small food drive serving a limited number of program participants, Soup for Seniors has grown into a monthlong, communitywide initiative. With the help of more than 400 volunteers, the program now delivers more than 3,000 bags of food each year to seniors facing food insecurity, including residents in Salem.
In its first year, the drive focused on seniors enrolled in LOA’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs. Strong community response allowed the organization to expand service to additional seniors locally and in neighboring communities.
As the number of food-insecure seniors increased, LOA expanded Soup for Seniors into an agencywide initiative in 2012 and partnered with AARP Virginia. The collection and distribution period was moved to early February to better meet seniors’ needs during the coldest part of winter.
“Without the overwhelming community support we have received over the past 20 years, Soup for Seniors would not be the tremendous outreach effort it is today,” said Ron Boyd, president and CEO of LOA. “In 2026, our goal is to collect 50,000 pounds of soup and other nonperishable items to provide food bags for more than 3,000 older adults in need right here in our community.”
Salem-based organizations and sites are among those supporting the 2026 drive. Sponsors include the Salem Host Lions Club, along with AARP Virginia, P1 Technologies, Trinkle and Associates Inc., WFJX Fox Radio and host site St. Peter and St. Paul Anglican Church in Roanoke. Hundreds of volunteers assist with collecting, packing and distributing food throughout the region. The partnership with AARP Virginia has helped increase both visibility and volunteer participation, Boyd said.
“AARP Virginia honors the leadership and dedication the Local Office on Aging has demonstrated through the Soup for Seniors program over the past two decades,” said Brian Jacks, associate state director for AARP Virginia. “Our staff and volunteers share a commitment to fighting senior hunger, and we are honored to work alongside LOA to help meet needs directly.”
Recipients of Soup for Seniors food bags include LOA Meals on Wheels clients, Diners Club participants and older adults receiving transportation, case management and in-home care services. The program also serves more than 1,500 residents of low-income, independent senior housing, as well as seniors referred by local departments of social services and partner agencies, including those in Salem.
Food donations will be accepted from Jan. 28 through Feb. 4, 2026, at community collection sites, including the Salem Library, 28 E. Main St., and the Glenvar Library, 3917 Daugherty Road. Donations may also be delivered to the main drop-off site, St. Peter and St. Paul Anglican Church, 4909 N. Lake Drive, Roanoke, from Feb. 2 to Feb. 4 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Individuals, churches, businesses, schools and community groups are encouraged to hold food drives or volunteer. Monetary donations are also accepted to help offset food shortages and are used exclusively to purchase items for seniors.
More information, including volunteer sign-up, is available at loaa.org/soupforseniors or by calling LOA at 540-345-0451, ext. 3055.
-The Salem Times-Register
