Covering the Needs of Local Seniors
July 27, 2026
Written By Adam Buckallew
ABOVE IMAGE: The Monroe City Senior Nutrition Center was the first recipient of the MFA Oil Foundation’s new Community Development Grant program. The center received $30,000 to help pay for a new roof to protect the facility and the services it provides.
For more than four decades, the Monroe City Senior Nutrition Center has served as a gathering place, support network and source of nourishment for older adults in northeast Missouri.
Since opening its doors in January 1982, the center has provided far more than meals to seniors in Monroe, Marion and Ralls counties. It offers health and wellness programs, recreational activities, public benefits counseling, volunteer opportunities, and social connections that help aging adults remain healthy, independent and engaged.
“In the 44 years since we opened our doors, we have touched the lives of countless people,” said Diana Hendrix, the center’s administrator. “Yes, we provide them with a nutritious meal, but we also give them so much more: friendship, physical fitness opportunities, financial information and assistance, and, for some, a purpose that keeps them going daily.”
Hendrix has been part of the center’s story from the beginning. She joined the organization in November 1981 as a cook and spent nearly three years in that role before becoming administrator in 1984, a position she continues to hold today.
The center relies on support from many sources to sustain its operations, including federal, state, local, public and private grants, fundraising events, business donations, and individual contributions. Equally important are the more than 300 volunteers who contribute hundreds of hours each month.
“Our community and volunteers are the key to our success,” Hendrix said. “We are so thankful for our many volunteers who bless our seniors with their love, time and support.”
Volunteers assist with food preparation, clerical work, meal deliveries, fundraising activities and many other essential functions that help the center fulfill its mission.
Like any home, the facility requires ongoing maintenance and upgrades to continue serving the community. In recent years, the center has invested tens of thousands of dollars in improvements, including new heating and air-conditioning systems, kitchen ventilation upgrades, and the replacement of major kitchen equipment. While work crews were completing those projects, they discovered significant concerns with the building’s roof.
To address the issue, the center launched its “Overhead Upgrade” project, a fundraising effort to secure a new roof to protect the facility and the community services it provides. The project will result in the center’s third roof installation in its 44-year history.
The final piece of funding came through a $30,000 grant from the MFA Oil Foundation. The award marked a milestone for the foundation as its first Community Development Grant, a new funding category created to help organizations tackle larger-scale projects that deliver lasting benefits to their communities.
“This project is exactly the type of thing we had in mind when we created the Community Development Grant program,” said James Greer, chairman of the MFA Oil Foundation. “We’re proud to make a meaningful contribution to projects such as this that have a long-term impact and strengthen the community where our members and customers live.”
The grant allowed the Monroe City Senior Nutrition Center to reach its fundraising goal and move forward with the roof replacement, helping preserve a safe and reliable resource for more than 800 seniors throughout the region.
“This investment does more than just repair a roof; it protects the independence and dignity of our seniors,” Hendrix said about the grant.
By helping complete the Overhead Upgrade project, the MFA Oil Foundation’s grant helps ensure the Monroe City Senior Nutrition Center can continue serving as a community hub and resource for years to come.