While the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging had to close its Enrichment Centers in March due to the Coronavirus, meal delivery to our homebound seniors has continued and in fact has increased with more food options to help seniors who are most in need. The agency is grateful for a dedicated nutrition staff, especially its Meals on Wheels drivers.
The COA is also grateful to the individuals and organizations who have made donations to assist with its delivery of meals. These generous donations have helped the COA provide additional food to help homebound seniors including choices for breakfast and lunch. In many cases, COA has been able to provide all three meals each day for seniors in St. Joseph County, helping them stay safe and stay healthy.
We want to extend our most sincere appreciation for the donors who have helped the senior citizens of this County in this difficult time. Jim Stuck at Fibre Converters and John Carmichael at GT Independencehave made significant financial gifts guaranteeing that extra food could be delivered for the multiple months that the quarantine has lasted. We also received several other unsolicited contributions from companies and individuals who recognized that people need help and acted quickly to meet that need. Thank you to Midwest Energy & Communications and Mary Bogart for their donations. Finally, a second-grade student in Sturgis, MacKenzie Kelley, won a contest and chose the Commission on Aging to receive a donation on her behalf.
These contributions have been a tremendous help to the COA as it works to support the nutritional needs of all seniors in St. Joseph County.
“We are fortunate to have such strong community support for the citizens of this county who are most at risk,” COA Executive Director Tim Stoll said. “These donations have allowed us to provide more food and more variety, which is something we know the seniors truly appreciate.”
Since 1973, the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging has been serving seniors with a mission to promote independence through our services and programs, we’re proud and grateful for these individuals who have rallied to this case during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ruth Mancina is the marketing manager for the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging.
