Keeping Up with Los Osos Cares

Written by Theresa-Marie Wilson

Theresa-Maria Wilson has been a journalist covering the North Coast and South County area for over 20 years. She is also the founder of Cat Noir CC and is currently working on a novel.

October 8, 2020

This graph shows the requested services from Los Osos respondents to the first senior
questionnaire send out by Los Osos Cares in February of this year. 

Los Osos Cares, dedicated to providing services to employment, economic sustainability, health, housing and transportation, wants to know the needs of the local senior population.

LOC received a Dignity Health Community Project grant earlier this year designated to support the non-profit Basic Needs and Resources-Navigation for the Estero Bay Community. The grant was for their work to create a caring network of social services for the poor and vulnerable aging population through the Los Osos Cares Senior Outreach Program.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we have had to be creative from our original outreach to help those in need,” said Executive Director Linda Quesenberry in an email. “Our resource center is sheltering at office, and we have served over 250 people for emergency needs by phone and email referral and emergency funding.” 

LOC developed a senior questionnaire to address the needs of seniors that went out in February, but was halted due to the shutdown in March — 210 people responded with 103 from Los Osos, 94 from Morro Bay and 13 from Cayucos.  The results of that survey can be found at https://bit.ly/2SgY2wO. 

The organization is sending out a short “Post Pandemic Senior Questionnaire.” The survey can also be found at https://www.losososcares.com/seniors. The deadline for submitting questionnaires is Oct 30. 

“We will address the needs by advocating for services and comparing both questionnaires,” Quesenberry said.

LOC has other projects on board too. There will be a drive- thru Senior Health Fair on October 16th in partnership with St Benedicts Episcopal Church, 2220 Snowy Egret Ln, Los Osos, from 1-3 p.m. SLO Food Bank and senior service agencies will participate in the event by giving out food and information bags. 

In September the organizations launched an Estero Bay R U OK phone helpline that will be in place for 2021. Team captains, Violeta Vallin or Los Osos, Sharon O’Leary of Morro Bay and Robyn Taylor of Cayucos, will interact with seniors to ensure resources, services and emergency needs are met and wellness checks will be available if needed. 

Additionally, free community dinners are offered every Thursday from 5 – 6 p.m. at South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Avenue, Los Osos. The event has served over 2000 people this year under the guidance of Program Coordinator Dr. Andrea Brown. 

The LOC Estero Bay Womenade program has provided emergency funds for many families since the beginning of the pandemic and the warming shelter will be in place when the needs arise as the weather changes. 

“Our goal is to create a culture of care for all community members in the Estero Bay,” said Quesenberry. “Our Board of Directors lead by Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall pastor of St Benedicts Episcopal Church, are all active in our outreach as program coordinators and community advocates. The partnerships and support of the City of Morro Bay Community Resource Center, Los Osos Cares Community Resource Center, community leaders in Cayucos, service organizations, faith based community and businesses in the Estero Bay have made our programs successful.”   

Los Osos Cares serves the residents of Los Osos, Morro Bay and Cayucos in collaboration with other agencies, to provide them with access to information, referrals and services. 

For more information, go to www.LosOsosCares.com or send an email to wecareinlososos@gmail.com or call the office at 805-592-2701.

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