Seniors: Nutrition program's end is a loss

The American Red Cross' decision to pull out of a nutrition program in Coram has left more than 200 senior citizens lamenting the loss of a community hub that has provided them meals and companionship for decades.

The Red Cross will stop providing service at the Coram Senior Nutrition Program, in the Homestead Village apartment complex, Wednesday, a spokesman for the relief agency said. The Red Cross is also ending service Wednesday at a similar center in East Patchogue, the spokesman said.

Donald Roberts, 72, a Coram resident who has been going to the community's nutrition facility for seven of its 47 years, said the closures represent the end of a community for many of the people who used them. "These folks are my friends," Roberts said. "They made this country."

Brookhaven Town will begin rerouting residents who used the centers on Monday, town spokesman Jack Krieger said. Residents who used the Coram center will be bused to facilities in Mount Sinai and Shoreham, while those who relied on the East Patchogue center will be taken to a center in Mastic Beach, Krieger said.

The new locations will provide meals and services for senior citizens, Krieger said. But seniors and staff at the Coram center said the bus rides -- which will be provided free by the town -- will be a disincentive to attend.

"I don't intend to take long bus rides," said Paul Naughton, of Coram.

The Coram center has 273 registered users, staff said. Representatives of the East Patchogue facility -- the Bellport Senior Nutrition Program on North Dunton Avenue -- could not be reached for comment.

Sam Kille, a spokesman for the American Red Cross' Greater New York office, said the agency decided to pull out of the nutrition centers to divert resources to local disaster relief.

"We certainly don't want to leave seniors in a position where they are not getting their meals," Kille said. "At the end of the day, our focus needs to be on disaster relief."

Suffolk County had contracted with the Red Cross to run the centers, said county spokeswoman Vanessa Baird-Streeter. Now, the county will work with Brookhaven officials to reroute the seniors, she said.

The county will give Brookhaven $266,000 -- the same amount it gave the Red Cross -- for the programs.

"We're working collaboratively with the town because we knew we needed to continue to provide these services," Baird-Streeter said.

But several regulars at the Coram center said the closing will hurt. "It takes away being with people," said Mildred Koester, of Middle Island, a 22-year user at the facility.

Sue Holland, a driver at the Coram center, said the community is grieving.

"This is family," she said.