Dear Community,

As I write this farewell letter, my heart is filled with immense gratitude and warmth for the incredible journey I’ve experienced as the Executive Director of Sierra Senior Services. Since I began in October 2018, the support, dedication, and compassion from our community, staff, board, and volunteers have been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Together, we’ve grown our services from supporting 93 clients daily to an impressive 125. During the pandemic—a time of uncertainty and challenge—we stood firm, ensuring no senior went hungry. We reached over 180 isolated seniors, delivering food with unwavering commitment. Despite record-breaking snowfall in the winter of 2022-2023, our clients received meals every single day.

Our efforts extended beyond daily meals. We provided annual “Shelf Stable Meal kits” for emergencies, thanks to generous grants. Financially, we’ve strengthened our position, building reserves for future sustainability. In these years, we raised over $800,000 in public contributions and secured $507,000 in grants—a true testament to your support.

Our shift towards sustainability saw the replacement of four gas cars with energy-efficient vehicles—a fleet now boasting three electric and one hybrid car, all supported by grants. We swapped plastic delivery bags for recyclable brown paper ones, demonstrating our commitment to the environment.

Advancing our mission, we introduced new software systems to streamline volunteer monitoring and meal deliveries, redesigned our website for clarity, and launched volunteer appreciation programs. Our collaboration with the California Agency on Aging, Area 4, grew our funding by $150,000 annually, opening doors to more opportunities.

I’ve cherished collaborations with Meals on Wheels America and California, enhancing our marketing, education, and grant possibilities. Our participation in Subaru’s Share the Love event over five years raised $20,000, supporting our mission.

Our partnerships extended into the community, bringing holiday joy with gifts and supermarket gift cards for our clients and residents of Truckee Donner Senior Apartments. The heartfelt holiday cards from Truckee High School’s special needs class have been a yearly highlight, and during the pandemic, the “Postcards for Seniors” initiative brought smiles to many faces.

We ensured that no one was left behind, partnering with North Truckee Tahoe Homeless Services and AMI Housing, and providing meals at the Emergency Warming Center. In Incline Village, we increased our reach from 9 to 22 clients daily in Washoe County.

As I retire, I express my deepest gratitude to each one of you. It’s our collective compassion and dedication that have made these achievements possible. Though I leave my role, my heart remains with Sierra Senior Services, confident that this incredible community will continue to thrive.

With heartfelt gratitude and love,

Sharon Romack