Central Florida nonprofit collecting donations to support unhoused seniors amid high heat
The Senior Resource Alliance connects people ages 60+, their families and caregivers in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties with critical resources and services
SUMMER ISN’T HERE YET, BUT SUMMER-LIKE HEAT IS BUILDING ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. OUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM IS TRACKING SOME OF THE HOTTEST AIR OF THE YEAR THIS WEEK, AND IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT STABLE HOUSING. ROUGHLY 24% OF THE UNHOUSED POPULATION IN ORANGE, OSCEOLA AND SEMINOLE COUNTIES IS 55 OR OLDER. THAT’S ACCORDING TO DATA FROM THE HOMELESS SERVICES NETWORK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND THERE’S A LOCAL NONPROFIT CALLING ON OUR COMMUNITY. THEY NEED YOUR HELP TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. BEFORE ISSUES LIKE HEAT EXHAUSTION AND STROKE COME UP. JOINING ME NOW IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SENIOR RESOURCE ALLIANCE. CARLA RADKA. GREAT TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING. CARLA. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON YOUR SHOW. WELL, LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE SERVICES. IF PEOPLE AREN’T FAMILIAR WITH WITH YOU ALL THERE AT SENIOR RESOURCE ALLIANCE, WHAT DO YOU WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? DEFINITELY. SENIOR RESOURCE ALLIANCE IS THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND WE OFFER SERVICES FOR SENIORS AND CAREGIVERS IN ORANGE, OSCEOLA, SEMINOLE AND BREVARD COUNTY. SO ANY SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR SENIORS TO AGE IN PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY, MANY OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDED EITHER BY OUR ORGANIZATION OR THROUGH A WONDERFUL NETWORK OF PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS WORK CANNOT BE DONE ALONE. SO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG NETWORK OF PROVIDERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT WE CALL OUR PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO OFFER SERVICES FOR SENIORS SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO AGE IN PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND GIVE US AN IDEA OF, OF A SERVICE THAT’S REALLY NEEDED. CARLA, FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE TO PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. SO MANY OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE TRADITIONAL FOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE SERVICES LIKE PROVIDING THE FUNDING FOR MEALS ON WHEELS AND HOME REPAIRS AND CARE FOR SENIORS AND THEIR HOME. AND THEN WE HAVE A GREAT SERVICE THROUGH OUR ELDER HELPLINE, WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE RESOURCES AND REFERRALS FOR SERVICES IN GENERAL, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR THREE TOP SERVICES THAT WE RECEIVE CALLS FOR ARE MEALS, TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT WE’RE COVERING THIS MORNING. YEAH. AND YOU’RE CALLING ON OUR COMMUNITY FOR DONATIONS. AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT HERE IN THE SPRING MONTHS BEFORE WE GET TO THAT EXTREME SUMMER HEAT. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AND HOW CAN WE ALL HELP? YES. SO JUST TO PREPARE SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, BECAUSE WE NOT ONLY FOCUS ON THE SENIORS, BUT ALSO ON HELPING THE WHOLE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY, IN HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THERE ARE MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES, SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS ESPECIALLY FOR THE SENIORS THAT ARE UNHOUSED, IS TO PROVIDE COLD DRINKS AND SUNSCREEN AND LIGHT SNACKS THAT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE HAVE DESIGNATED AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED MANY COOLING STATIONS IN OUR REGION WHERE SENIORS CAN GO AND JUST SURVIVE THE HEAT THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH. AND CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE, AS WE GET INTO OUR LAST FEW SECONDS WITH YOU, WHY THIS COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR A CAUSE LIKE YOURS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE DATA TELL US THAT SENIORS IS THE FASTEST POPULATION IN HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT IS A POPULATION THAT IS 55 AND OVER AND OUT OF THAT, THERE ARE MOSTLY WOMEN, AND THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF ADDICTIONS OR BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS MORE RELATED TO THE COST OF HOUSING OR THE LOSS OF THEIR SPOUSE, THE LOSS OF INCOME. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR SENIORS DURING THESE HOT MONTHS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE CARE FOR THEM, AND SO WE CAN KEEP THEM SAFE AND STABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY UNTIL THEY CAN SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING. THAT’S FANTASTIC. WELL, CARLA, WE’RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE. WE’VE GOT A QR CODE UP ON OUR SCREEN. PEOPLE CAN SCAN THAT WITH THEIR SMARTPHONE OR TABLET. THEY CAN LEARN MORE THERE. THEY CAN MAKE DONATIONS. WE’RE ALSO GOING TO PUT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION UP ON WESH.COM SO PEOPLE CAN FIND YOU AND CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE WORK YOU AND THE TEAM ARE DOING AND AND GET INVOLVED AND DONATE. THAN
Central Florida nonprofit collecting donations to support unhoused seniors amid high heat
The Senior Resource Alliance connects people ages 60+, their families and caregivers in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties with critical resources and services
Updated: 9:56 AM EDT Apr 29, 2026
Central Florida nonprofit, Senior Resource Alliance (SRA), is collecting donations to support unhoused seniors amid high heat and rising temperatures. Senior Resource Alliance connects people ages 60 years old or older, their families and caregivers in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties with critical resources and services.The organization directs older adults who are homeless to free cooling stations, where they can drink water and eat. SRA president and CEO, Karla Radka, joins WESH 2 to outline the organization’s call to action and need for support before extreme heat settles into Central Florida. List of requested donation items:Bottled waterElectrolyte packetsNonperishable snacksFruit cups and canned fruitTowelsSunscreen and aloe vera gelsHats, visors and bandanasSmall, battery-powered personal fans UmbrellasLightweight and light-colored clothingSocks and underwearFlip flops and sandalsHygiene kitsBackpacks and drawstring bagsReusable water bottlesPet foodClick here to donate and learn more. >> Watch the full interview in the video player above.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Central Florida nonprofit, Senior Resource Alliance (SRA), is collecting donations to support unhoused seniors amid high heat and rising temperatures.
Senior Resource Alliance connects people ages 60 years old or older, their families and caregivers in Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties with critical resources and services.
The organization directs older adults who are homeless to free cooling stations, where they can drink water and eat.
SRA president and CEO, Karla Radka, joins WESH 2 to outline the organization’s call to action and need for support before extreme heat settles into Central Florida.
List of requested donation items:Bottled waterElectrolyte packetsNonperishable snacksFruit cups and canned fruitTowelsSunscreen and aloe vera gelsHats, visors and bandanasSmall, battery-powered personal fans UmbrellasLightweight and light-colored clothingSocks and underwearFlip flops and sandalsHygiene kitsBackpacks and drawstring bagsReusable water bottlesPet food
Click here to donate and learn more.
>> Watch the full interview in the video player above.