Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

FOSTORIA- Staying independent gets easier when you know who to call. For people 60 and older in Seneca County, a handful of agencies provide rides, meals and help around the house, many of them by donation. Here is a guide built from the agencies’ own websites.

Start with the Commission on Aging

The Seneca County Commission on Aging describes itself as a private nonprofit serving the 60-plus population of Seneca County. It runs two senior centers, and office hours at both are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays:

• Somerset Center, Tiffin: 382 S. Huron St., 419-447-5792
• Norfolk Center, Fostoria: 601 Findlay St., 419-435-0436. This building also houses the commission’s transportation department.

Meals

Lunch with company. Congregate lunches are served Monday through Friday, except holidays, starting at 11:15 a.m. at 601 Findlay St. in Fostoria and at 382 S. Huron St. in Tiffin. A third site, 7 W. Market St. in Tiffin, is for Kiwanis Manor residents and does not serve on Thursdays. Any resident of Seneca County or the city of Fostoria who is 60 or older may come, and the meal is by voluntary donation. The commission says no one is denied a meal for not donating. Guests under 60 pay $3.50. Reserve 24 hours ahead at 419-435-0436 in Fostoria or 419-447-5792 in Tiffin.

Meals delivered. The Meals on Wheels program brings a hot lunchtime meal to your door. The commission says each meal is diabetic-friendly and freshly prepared.

Frozen meals. Home Style Selections are made to order, frozen and delivered weekly or every other week, so you can eat when you choose. The commission says delivery reaches remote and rural areas where other meal service may not be available, and clients on PASSPORT or private pay can pick their own meals.

Pantry Plus in Fostoria also lists a monthly senior food box for people 60 and older on the third Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. Call 419-619-0183 to confirm.

Rides to the doctor, store and bank

The commission’s transportation service uses shuttles and vans with lifts and can provide a wheelchair for the ride if needed. It serves people 60 and older. Call 419-447-5792 at least 24 hours ahead for rides in the area and at least one week ahead for out-of-town trips.

Public transit is another option. North Central Area Transit (NCAT, formerly SCAT) offers call-ahead rides in Seneca County. Its rides are curb to curb, and it offers half fares on trips in the county for riders 60 and older who apply with proof of age. Call 419-448-7344 at least 48 hours ahead.

Help around the house

The CHORE program helps Seneca County residents 60 and older stay safe at home. It covers indoor and outdoor home maintenance, minor repairs and tasks that physical or money limits make hard to do. Jobs that take two hours or less are done for a donation. For bigger repairs and changes to a home, the commission draws on other funding sources, which can mean little or no cost for seniors who qualify.

The Area Agency on Aging

Seneca County is one of nine counties served by the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging, 2131 Park Ave. W., Ontario, 419-524-4144 or 800-860-5799. Its programs include adult protective services, the long-term care ombudsman (an advocate for people in nursing and assisted living homes), caregiver support, the Home Energy Assistance Program and PASSPORT, a Medicaid waiver program. It is a good call when care needs are growing or a family caregiver needs a break.

Some of Fostoria lies in Hancock and Wood counties. If you live on that side of town, ask whether the Seneca County programs serve your address before you count on them.

When you are not sure where to start

Dial 2-1-1, the United Way referral line, or call United Way of Fostoria at 419-435-4484. The Commission on Aging staff can also point you to the right program. Hours, menus and fees change, so call before you go.

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

Seneca County Commission on Aging: home, Norfolk Center, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, Home Style Selections, transportation and CHORE pages (seneca-coa.org)
Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging (aaa5ohio.org)
North Central Area Transit (ncatohio.org)
Pantry Plus of Seneca County, services (pantry-plus.org)
United Way of Fostoria (unitedwayoffostoria.org)