Faith-based organizations to offer aid to seniors

Local faith-based organizations are coming together to offer aid for those over 60 years-old during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting at 7 a.m. Monday, people can call 573-686-2074 to sign up to receive meals once a week. Any individual who calls needs to provide the name, phone number, address and date of birth for the person who would receive meals. The organizations are partnering with the Northside Nutrition Center and Meals on Wheels to extend the services they already provide.

Jenny Fears, who is helping organize the effort, said the two organizations have received 50 calls this week about getting additional aid.

“We in the faith-based community are working with them to get them money, people and food,” Fears said.

The project, Deliver Hope, is looking for volunteers to help prepare the meals starting Monday. During the crisis, these frozen meals will be delivered weekly to those who signed up.

They’re also needed to help deliver meals.

Fears said they’re hoping to add new routes and expand the territory these organizations can service.

However, volunteers are also needed for other aspects of the project.

Through local churches, Deliver Hope will collect canned goods and other basic supplies for those who signed up in case the regular deliveries need to stop for any reason.

“In the event that they can no longer provide food, that they do get shut down, at least the seniors will have an emergency backup of meals in their home,” Fears said.

At all locations, which haven’t been determined yet, anybody dropping off food will not need to get out of the car or interact with another person. Fears said a box will be outside that donations can be placed into and a volunteer will regularly collect them to be brought inside. Donations will be collected all next week, starting Sunday, although some locations may have specific hours. A donation bin is currently set up at Larry Hillis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat for food drop offs.

Additionally, volunteers will organize the donations into at least three-meal packs next Saturday.

Another aspect of the crisis Deliver Hope is working to address is the isolation the elderly population can feel.

As people are increasingly encouraged to remain at home as much as possible — especially at-risk populations like those over 60 — the lack of social interaction can be challenging. In response, Deliver Hope is collecting volunteers to do wellness check calls for this group.

Volunteers would call those on their list at least once a week during this pandemic to check in and talk with them.

“They can do that from the comfort of their own home,” Fears said. “For the foreseeable future, once a week, you’re going to call these people and check in on them.”

The volunteers will be able to sign up online once a website is set up for them.

Donation items

Protein

Tuna (water packed)

Canned chicken

Chili

Beef stew

Vienna sausages

Vegetables (canned)

Carrots

Spinach

V-8 juice

Mixed vegetables

Sweet potatoes

Greens

Green peas/corn/carrots/green beans

Fruit

Apricots

Mangos

Peaches

Mandarin oranges

Applesauce

Pears

Fruit cocktails

Pineapples

100% juices

Raisins

Bread (individual packages)

Crackers (alone or with peanut butter or cheese)

Breadsticks

Melba toast

Cereals

Graham crackers (whole grain if possible)

Milk (individual packages/canned)

Non fat dry milk

Evaporated milk with vitamin A and D added

Supplemental Drinks (Ex. Ensure)

Carnation instant drink/powder

Other

Hand soap

Toilet paper