Greetings! 

Thank you for subscribing to the Allegan County Commission on Aging and Senior Services e-newsletter. We hope you find the resources and service information valuable. Please forward this content to anyone you think might be interested. Anyone can subscribe to e-news updates by visiting www.AlleganCounty.org/connect, enter your email address in the Subscribe to receive updates box on the right, select Senior Services and any other county topics of interest.

At Allegan County Commission on Aging and Senior Services we’re committed to ensuring quality care and creating a supportive environment for seniors in our community. Whether you’re looking for resources for yourself, a loved one, or want to stay informed, we’re here for you. The citizens of Allegan County voted to provide for its senior citizens through a Senior Millage. These funds provide the following services: Adult Day Services, Home Delivered Meals, In-Home Supports, Personal Emergency Response Systems, and Senior Transportation. Learn more at www.AlleganCounty.org/Seniors.

Senior Expo 2026

Registration is now open. Please join us for Senior Expo 2026 – You don’t want to miss it! Thursday, June 25, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1290 32^nd Street (M40), Allegan.

Register online at www.AlleganCounty.org/SeniorExpo by June 17, 2026. Your advance registration is required for lunch and reserved workshop selections (space is limited and will fill up fast). If you need assistance in registering, please call 269-673-3333.

Workshops include:

• Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan: Funding the Future - Why Senior Millages Matter, Kendrick Heinlein, CEO of AAAWM
• Allegan County Parks & Outdoor Discovery Center: Explore Allegan - Life & Leisure for All
• Beacon Physical Rehab: We Want You for Chair Exercises, Natalie Gee, PT, DPT & Alyssa Loshinskie, PT, DPT
• Gorden Funeral Services: Planning Ahead
• Allegan County Community Foundation: Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Join us for a fun day, complete with a magic act featuring local magician and Emcee John Dudley during the lunch hour. A free BBQ lunch provided by Acclaimed Catering will be served. Highlights also include free nail polish application throughout the event provided by Lacey’s Nail Studio and free immunizations provided by the Allegan County Health Department.

John Dudley is a magical entertainer for the young and the young at heart. From the opening tricks to the grand finale, John's show holds the audience in wonder. His show has thrilled audiences throughout the Midwest at festivals, company picnics, libraries, school assemblies, and county fairs.

The deadline to register for the Senior Expo 2026 is June 17, 2026. This senior-focused vendor fair will have you walking away with helpful information and fun takeaways! Many door prizes will be given away at the close of the event. Don’t miss out! Register today at www.AlleganCounty.org/SeniorExpo. Need a ride? Call Allegan County Transportation at 269-673-4229 by June 17, 2026, to reserve your spot and free transportation to the 2026 Senior Expo.

THANK YOU to our generous sponsors for helping to make the 2026 Senior Expo possible and free for senior participants: Acclaimed Catering, Continuum Home Health Care, and Help at Home Allegan.

• Help at Home – Presenting Sponsor
• Continuum Home Health Care – Platinum Sponsor
• Connect America – Gold Sponsor
• Acclaimed Catering – Silver Sponsor
• Allegan County Community Foundation – Silver Sponsor
• Kinard Financial – Silver Sponsor
• Meals on Wheels of Western Michigan – Silver Sponsor

Staff Highlight

Teresa is the Administrative Assistant for Senior & Veteran Services. “I started working for Allegan County in June 2017, and in 2024 I transitioned to the Senior and Veteran Services office. Customer service has always been my career passion, so when the opportunity arose to support seniors and veterans in our community, I knew it was the right path for me. The most rewarding part of my position is being able to help community members and co-workers through their challenges, or at the very least connect them with helpful resources and support.”

Service Spotlight

Adults 60 years of age and older who are no longer comfortable driving can access transportation services for non-emergency medical appointments, grocery shopping and food pantries, legal appointments, and errands such as going to the bank or post office. The Senior Services Transportation program is provided by volunteer drivers, Allegan County Transportation (ACT) buses, and Saugatuck Interurban buses. Currently, there are eight volunteer drivers who drive their own personal vehicles as a part of the Senior Services Transportation program. Their vehicles are inspected annually by an ACT vehicle technician. Interested in becoming a volunteer driver? Contact Tammy Chapin with ACT at 269-686-5164.

Primary transportation requests that come in are for medical transportation. Many of the shopping trips are scheduled with an ACT bus due to volunteer drivers covering medical trips. On the ACT buses, there is a bag limit which is up to two recycle bags that are held on the passenger’s lap.

In 2025, 94,605 miles were driven for senior transportation. The average age of passengers is 75 years.

If you’d like to request Senior Transportation services, please contact us at least five business days ahead to schedule a ride by calling 269-686-5164. Two trips per month are generally allowed. However, extra medical trips can be added. Dialysis and cancer treatments can receive transportation up to three times per week. Transportation for physical therapy is two times per week.

Community Events

Christian Neighbors presents Midyear Medicare Musings on June 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. Bob Callery with Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is the speaker for this free 90-minute seminar. Bob is a regional coordinator with the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. In this program, he’ll help attendees learn to better navigate Medicare even outside of the well-known fall open enrollment period.

Most people think about Medicare details during the late fall open enrollment period when beneficiaries can join an Advantage plan or change to a different one. But what if circumstances change during the year? And how do you sort through all the choices to select the best coverage for you? What do you want to get from Medicare coverage and how do you make choices to reach those goals as the program changes during these different times?

Bob will present information about pending Medicare changes that might impact choices you make during the open enrollment period that runs from October 15 through December 7. Then, he will lead a roundtable discussion with questions, comments and ideas offered by participants.

Registration is requested via an online registration form so adequate refreshments are available. You also may register by contacting Sharon at 269-685-4166 ext. 107 or scarper@christianneighbors.org. 

Seniors can schedule a free ride to this free program at the Christian Neighbors Education Resource Center by calling Allegan County Seniors and Veterans Services at 269-686-5164 at least five days before the event to schedule the ride.

M-89 Cinema at Cross Oaks Mall in Otsego offers a dementia-friendly movie program on the third Wednesday of every month at 1:30 p.m. to provide a safe and welcoming movie experience for people living with dementia and their care partners. The theater lights are up, the sound is lowered, and there is space for movie goers to sing, clap, and enjoy time together. Enjoy the show with a ticket, small popcorn, and small drink for free. Visit M-89 Cinema to see which movie is playing in this program or call 269-637-1662.

On May 5, 2026, Allegan County Parks with the Outdoor Discovery Center held a seniors only event for a morning birding hike around a local birding hotspot. Participants walked with a naturalist who guided them through the trails to learn identification techniques and more while identifying birds on the walk. Attendees counted 25 species including many Northern Yellow Warblers calling, an Osprey carrying some nesting material, and a great look at a Baltimore Oriole.

“It was a very worthwhile experience,” said Allegan County Commissioner Mark DeYoung. “The park was enjoyable as it always is and the company was too. We were able to identify a lot more birds than I thought we could.” 

Interested in exploring Allegan County Parks? Visit www.AlleganCounty.org/Parks to find locations. For a schedule of upcoming events and activities, visit the Parks & Tourism Calendar.

Community Resources

Lending Hands in Portage: A durable medical equipment loan program where they loan durable medical equipment for free for up to seven months, with the exception of knee scooters, which are on loan for three months. Learn more at www.LendingHandsmi.org or contact (269) 567-4381 or info@lendinghandsmi.org. Located at 4570 Commercial Ave, Suite E, Portage, MI 49002.

Heart to Heart Resale: A resale store run by Love In The Name of Christ that has many repurposed items for sale. Learn more at www.Loveincnwa.org or 269-751-8642. Located at 4621 135th Avenue, Hamilton, MI 49419.

Allegan County Food Pantry: Open two days a week for walk-in guests to obtain the groceries they need to provide meals for their households. Guests are allowed to visit once a month, only needing to show an ID to receive help. Located in the basement level of First Church of God at 1313 Lincoln Road (M89), Allegan. Learn more or call 269-686-6369.

Christian Neighbors SE, Hope Lutheran Church, and Feeding America - Grand Rapids: The distribution occurs from 11 a.m. to noon the second Monday of each month. Participants are asked to enter the Hope Lutheran Church parking lot at 290 12th Street, Plainwell using the entrance off 103rd Avenue. Volunteers load the food items directly into a participant's vehicle. There is no cost, and no identification or additional paperwork is needed. Learn more.

Christian Neighbors SE, South Michigan Food Bank, Alamo Community Foundation, and Royal Estates: The distribution occurs from 4 to 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at Royal Estates, 8300 Ravine Road, Kalamazoo. (Distribution for November and December only will be the third Thursday of those months due to holidays.) Follow arrow signs to reach the distribution site. All are welcome to come and get a variety of food resources. There is no cost, and no identification or additional paperwork is needed. Learn more.

Feeding America West Michigan: Mobile food pantry that delivers a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products and other food staples to people in need of emergency food at no cost. To find various locations and times in Allegan County, visit FAWM’s schedule.

Hands of Grace Food Pantry: Open Tuesdays: 9 a.m. – 11:45 a.m., Wednesdays: 9 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., and Fridays: 10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Please bring a valid and current picture ID (driver’s license or state ID. Must live in 49010 area. Eligible to visit the pantry once per month. Located at 409 Trowbridge Street, Allegan. Learn more.

Hungry for Christ Food Ministry: The Feeding America - West Michigan Hamilton Mobile Food Pantry is held on the last Monday of the month at 5 p.m. at the Old Bus Garage, 3644 48th Street, Hamilton. Mobile pantries are like farmers markets on wheels that provide groceries, including produce, protein, dairy, grains, and more to anyone in need at no charge. Learn more.

Meals on Wheels Pop-Up Dining: Is held on the first Wednesday of each month in the event space basement at the Christian Neighbors Education Resource Center, 282 12th Street, Plainwell. Anyone 60 years or older are welcome to attend. There is no income requirements. There will be a freshly prepared meal and social activities. The cost to attend is a suggested donation of $3.50 but it is not required to attend. You may attend for free or for a lower amount. Learn more and register.

People Helping People: The food pantry is open on Mondays and Wednesdays 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and by appointment. Located at 943 56th Street, Pullman. Learn more or call 269-236-2001.

In The News

New program offers frozen meals, flexible delivery, and added support, helping homebound Allegan County seniors maintain independence and better manage health. When Mary Ellen Glunz opens her freezer in her Douglas home, she sees more than meals. She sees a way to stay in her longtime home.

“Within minutes, my dinner is ready, and I don’t have to cook it or clean it up,” she says. After a recent hospital stay and weeks in rehabilitation, Glunz returned home still weak and unable to shop or prepare food on her own. “It was very much a blessing to have Meals on Wheels,” says Glunz, 76.

Her experience reflects a broader change in Allegan County, where officials transitioned the senior home-delivered meal program this spring to Meals on Wheels of Western Michigan. The update expands options, adjusts delivery schedules, and builds in more contact between drivers and the people they serve. Read More.

Talk About Senior & Veteran Services

Learn more and register.

Senior Day at the Fair 🎡

It’s a great opportunity to connect with local organizations, discover helpful resources, and kick off a fun day at the fair with friends and neighbors.

Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

Copyright (C) 2026 Allegan County Commission on Aging and Senior Services. All rights reserved.
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