True we did not have normal service or office hours today due to the Veterans Day holiday but the Pittsboro senior center was in good use all day as a training site for another local nonprofit. While we were technically closed, we received a bounty of nutritious food from Chuck and his daughter. Thanks! Will send the photos to Gene. We also had three people stop by to select Angels off the giving tree, two people stopped by to pick up their prescriptions from Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy, and received two faxes about people to add to the Angel giving tree. On a day we were closed sort of...
The point being that the need doesn't stop. Ever.
And thankfully community support is here every day. Including several boxes of canned goods that Meg dropped off the other day along with enough fresh, new soap to offer to all of our food pantry clients. (We offer health and beauty items when we have them.) Thanks, Meg. The Young Life kids have been collecting food for us, too. There were several folks who answered my Chatlist call for food when we were critically low. Thanks to everyone who remembers the almost invisible elderly.
Comment about the N&O article: In general and overall, Chatham County will receive almost the same funding from the State in fiscal year 2008 / 2009 as we did in 2007 / 2008. The problem: The funding bill that was scrapped would have helped us support the people on our waiting lists for services and all those new to us, the increased number of people in need. Think about whether you and your family can afford this year, through June, what you afforded last year. The increases in food costs, transportation costs, insurance, utilities hit the Council on Aging and all our clients just as hard as it hits your families.
We are budgeted to provide 38,000 noontime senior center and home delivered meals. I estimate the identified need today is closer to 44,000.
We have more than 100 older adults who receive home delivered meals Monday through Friday. We have some people waiting due to needing volunteers to deliver the meals.
We are budgeted to provide 21,000 trips to medical appointments, to the senior centers and to errands and shopping. I estimate the identified need today is closer to 27,000.
We are budgeted to provide 25,000 hours of in home assistance. I estimate the identified need today is closer to 45,000.
Nutrition is fundamental. We all know that but what often happens with financially disadvantaged families is that they have to choose what to buy... so if they buy food, they can't pay for all the medicine or the heat. The strategy behind our food pantries is to, first of all, provide nutritious food to people who are hungry. There are more of them than you want to think about. Secondly, to provide nutrition so that they can maintain their utilities and medicine.
If you're looking for ideas about helping, please give me a call or send me an email. Time is valuable and volunteer support helps us achieve more together. The reward is priceless. You can make an impact on the quality of life for older adults and the quality of our community. We have lists of people who need minor home repairs to improve the safety and health of their homes. Our lunch clients always appreciate folks coming to the centers to talk, perform, share. Come join a balance or fitness class. Last week we had five volunteers work about 30 hours getting our newsletter in the mail. We prefer to have "live" receptionists and sometimes need volunteers to fill in. We are looking for Christmas carolers for our home delivered meal and in home assistance clients. We are having a holiday dinner and tree & wreath auction Nov 21; you can purchase a fully decorated tree!
Please continue to refer your families, friends and neighbors to us. We must continue to assess the needs of our community and to find the means to support older adults, particularly those who are the most alone and the most frail.
