Each month, our aging neighbor Edan has just $30 to spend at the grocery store. Paying for the bus to get there takes another bite out of his budget. “I couldn’t survive on food stamps alone,” he told us, “so I started going to a church food pantry.” Edan had to walk a mile each way. And because he’s severely diabetic, the typical donations he lugged home – potatoes and other cheap starches – were not healthy for him.
That’s when Neighborhood House stepped up. Every two weeks, since the start of the pandemic, we’ve been delivering boxes of free groceries right to Edan’s door. Our program lets him choose the right foods for his diabetes management plan, including lots of fresh produce as well as pricier proteins, like nuts, that are not usually included in pantry offerings.
So far this year, we have regularly provided made-to-order food boxes to 2,000 home-bound seniors.
Obviously, people cannot survive without food. But did you know that person-to-person connections are as vital to our well-being as vegetables? Without contact, people decline fast.
To help seniors stay active and connected, Neighborhood House has provided free online classes and groups to almost 1,000 elders in our community this year.
By the end of January, our goal is to raise $500,000 through our annual Partnership Campaign. To prioritize the specific needs of our seniors, December 3–10 will be Senior Week. All donations to the Campaign during Senior Week will go towards our Aging Services, and an anonymous donor will match all gifts up to $5,000. We envision a future where seniors like Edan have the support and community they need to thrive. I urge you to think about an older adult in your life, be it a parent, grandparent, or other aging loved one. Isn’t this the future you would want for them?