Half after noon on a Friday, senior residents of Emeritus Bellevue circle around tables for lunch. Fish or frittata, they’re offered after munching on salads.

“We try to do fish every Friday,” says Mary Watkins, of Emeritus, poking at her own plate of food. “[The residents] really like that.”

Through April, Emeritus, a national company of over 450 senior living facilities, including Bellevue’s off Northup Way, is launching a campaign to provide nutritious meals to elderly members of their community. Nationally, the goal is to cook and serve 10,000 meals in 60 days.

The elderly are particularly at risk for malnourishment because of the obvious issues of accessibility and affordability. But Watkins also muses that seniors are hesitant to ask for help or may find meal time an emotional experience if they once shared it with a loved one who has since passed away. Medication may also dull taste buds.

Studies suggest that nutrition and general health are closely tied; a good diet is critical to longevity. In Emeritus’ own facilities, a professional dietician measures calorie intake, protein counts and other nutritional factors. But that’s a luxury many living alone don’t have.

No matter their quota, Watkins wants the two-month campaign to introduce the company to neighbors they may not yet have tapped: “It’s also a way for us to begin a relationship. If we can’t be the answer to them eventually, we want to be a resource families can come to.”

Though word-of-mouth is still spreading, Watkins says the operation will require all hands on deck. She hopes neighbors or family will call in if they suspect someone may benefit from the service. Meals will be delivered in person with a short note explaining the campaign. And sometimes that simple introduction can pave the way for more than a meal.

Watkins recalls a nurse who, at the request of a neighbor, visited one elderly woman. When the nurse offered to put the plate of food in the fridge so that she might heat it up later, she noticed the fridge was empty. The discovery was a red flag that perhaps this woman needed more help than she’d originally let on.

“We have a sense of concern for our senior neighbors. That’s what we do,” says Watkins.