Mayor Says Senior Support Vitamin Program Helped Riverside Earn Designation as a California Healthy City
 
Murrieta, CA --- Eight months ago, 1000 seniors in Riverside began a daily multivitamin program called Vitamin Relief USA Senior Support™.  Today, hundreds of participants, like 80 year-old Wanda Whorton, report that the free vitamin program has helped seniors feel better, take better care of themselves and live a healthier lifestyle.

In response to this success, Senior Friendly Communities of America (SFCA) chose Vitamin Relief USA™ as the first recipient of their “Celebrating Seniors” award. “Vitamin Relief USA Senior Support™ is contributing to the over all health and well-being of seniors in Riverside. Their close collaboration with the civic leaders of Riverside, which is America’s first Senior Friendly Community, has been invaluable to seniors. It is only natural that Vitamin Relief USA Senior Support™ program be recognized as a important part of a Senior Friendly Community,” says SFCA’s President, William Timmons.

Celebrating Seniors Award, The Healthy Foundation

Vitamin Relief USA Senior Support™ came to Riverside with the support of Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge and the Mayor’s Commission on Aging.  According to the Mayor, Vitamin Relief USA™ not only helps Riverside’s senior citizens, but the city as well. “I am delighted that the pilot program, Vitamin Relief USA, Senior Support™ is such a great success in Riverside. The program has been important in providing seniors with free vitamins through the YMCA, Riverside Parks and Recreation and the Riverside Medical Clinic. It has also been a key program in recognition of the City of Riverside as a Healthy City,” says Mayor Loveridge.

“We are very happy to accept this generous award from Senior Friendly Communities of America, for our efforts to improve the health of Riverside’s senior citizens. We are also excited to have contributed in part to Riverside’s designation as a California Healthy City. All this could not have happened without the substantial contribution of Wyeth Consumer Healthcare whose donation of thousands of bottles of Centrum® vitamins have made this pilot program possible. We thank them for their generosity,” says Michael Morton, Vitamin Relief USA™ Executive Director.

 Plans are now underway to expand this valuable program for seniors to a major national initiative.  “Our goal is to do for at-risk seniors what we have done for at-risk children,” states Michael Morton, Executive Director of Vitamin Relief USA™.  “Through private/public partnerships, donations and sponsorships, our Vitamin Relief USA - Children First™ program provides daily multivitamins to over 15,000 children at risk for malnutrition and nutrient deficiency at over 380 collaborative distribution sites in 40 states,” says Morton.

Celebrating Seniors Award, The Healthy Foundation

Vitamin Relief USA™ is a program of The Healthy Foundation which is a tax-exempt, 501 (c) 3 non-profit foundation committed to improving the health status of children, adults and seniors through vitamin supplementation.  To support The Healthy Foundation and Vitamin Relief USA™, or for further information, please call (909) 696-0552 or visit our website at www.vitaminrelief.org.

Senior Friendly Communities of America™ works with civic leaders across the country to encourage their towns and cities to become certified as Senior Friendly Communities.  To support Senior Friendly Communities of America™ please call 909-352—6545 or e-mail: timmonsr@pe.net.

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