San Diego– Today, hundreds of San Diego seniors gathered to honor Rep. Scott Peters for helping pass the Older Americans Act. Rep. Peters was honored during a celebration to mark the sixth anniversary of Serving Seniors and the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in Downtown San Diego. A bilingual caseworker translated the anniversary program in Mandarin, Chinese, in support of Asian American Heritage Month.

“San Diego seniors rely on many programs supported by the Older Americans Act, including meal delivery, healthcare, transportation services and abuse prevention,” said Rep. Peters. “These programs help seniors, who deserve our respect and support, to age with dignity.”

The Older Americans Act was reauthorized this March after nearly a decade of uncertainty for senior wellness programs. This year’s reauthorization provided stability to organizations like Serving Seniors, which provides nearly 600,000 meals each year to San Diego seniors. The legislation also included additional resources for programs to combat elder abuse and exploitation.

Congressman Peters and his staff are also holding a number of Senior Scam Seminars across San Diego in conjunction with the County of San Diego and the Contractors State License Board to give seniors the tools to protect themselves from fraud.

“Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act provided much needed reforms, but we can’t rely on Congress to take care of our senior community,” said Rep. Peters “Our workshops and the services provided by Serving Seniors are some of the ways we’re ensuring San Diego’s seniors have a safety net, regardless of what happens in Washington.”

Congressman Peters serves the 52nd District of California which covers much of central San Diego County including Poway, Coronado, and large portions of the City of San Diego. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Judiciary Committee. The Congressman is a former environmental attorney, City Council President, and Port Commission Chairman.