SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Community Bridges is pleased to announce the promotion of Dana Wagner who has been selected as Senior Program Director for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, marking a full-circle moment in her distinguished career in nutrition and community service.
Dana, a registered dietitian, began her career in a skilled nursing facility in Maryland, where she utilized her clinical expertise to help older adults maintain healthy lives. After relocating to California, she joined Community Bridges as a supervising dietitian for its Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in 2001. Over the next two decades, she rose to become the program’s director and served as the interim director of Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County beginning in March 2024. In September, she was officially named senior program director overseeing both programs, bringing her deep expertise in nutrition and passion for serving the community to the role.
“It is really great that as my career has evolved, I am coming full circle working with older adults,” Dana said. “There is a poetic beauty to that.”
In her dual roles as director of both WIC and Meals on Wheels, Dana is committed to addressing the needs of the community thoughtfully and effectively. She aims to continue Meals on Wheels’ mission of helping older adults remain in their homes while receiving nutritious meals and caring interactions.
“We are so fortunate to have local talent and statewide level leadership within the organization, with leaders such as Dana,” said Community Bridges CEO Raymon Cancino. “After an exhaustive search for the next leader facing significant challenges, we were able to easily see that we couldn’t get much better than using the talents of Dana to support the operations of Meals on Wheels of Santa Cruz County. With this move, we have streamlined administration and made a significant move toward organizational alignment that ensures cohesion across various nutritional programs.”
Locally, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County has an undeniable impact on older adults, with 92% of the more than 1,700 participants it serves annually reporting it helps them live independently. In addition, 87% of participants report feeling safer at home and 79% report eating healthier foods. The program provided more than 155,000 home-delivered meals and served over 23,000 meals at community dining sites last fiscal year, ensuring that seniors have access to nutritious food and meaningful social connections.
However, the program is facing increasing challenges that threaten its ability to meet the growing demand for services. In the most recent fiscal year, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County served a staggering 429 more seniors than the previous year. This demand continues to rise as Santa Cruz County experiences an unprecedented growth in its older adult population, with the number of residents aged 65-84 increasing by 81% since 2010, the fastest rate in California. Furthermore, an estimated 1,000 Californians turn 65 every day, a trend expected to persist for the next decade, further amplifying the need for senior services.
Compounding this challenge are rising operational costs, uncertainty about the program’s current headquarters at the Live Oak Senior Center, and stagnant or declining government funding at federal, state, and local levels. These factors have contributed to a six-figure budget deficit that cannot be addressed without impacting seniors who rely on the program. For the first time in nearly five decades, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County will likely need to implement a waitlist for services on July 1, 2025, joining the two-thirds of similar programs across California already forced into this difficult position.
“This is an expensive place to live, and with inflation over the last few years, it has been a challenging time for many older adults on fixed incomes,” Dana said. “Meals on Wheels is so important for meeting their needs and helping them stay in their homes.”
Dana’s leadership comes at a critical time as the program navigates these challenges. She plans to enhance Meals on Wheels’ services, ensuring vulnerable seniors are connected to essential resources, from medications to transportation to social support.
“It is an honor to be part of a program that provides dignity to the older adults in our community,” Dana said. “The reason I have continued to work with Community Bridges all this time is because it aligns with my values of service and helping others.”
About Community Bridges
Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. To learn more, please visit communitybridges.org.
About Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County
Since 1976, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, a program of Community Bridges, has served nearly 10 million meals to 75,000 local seniors in need. Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County serves 1,600 seniors in need each year with nutritious meals and caring human contact. The tireless work of this program—supported by a dedicated army of 80 volunteers—allows thousands of Santa Cruz County residents to remain healthy, safe, and independent in their own homes.
