Meals on Wheels San Diego County and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank Friday announced their pilot program to provide a grocery delivery program to homebound seniors.
The "Groceries on the Go" program is organized under Meals on Wheels' "More Than a Meal" initiative and will allow volunteers and staff to deliver perishable and shelf-stable, senior-friendly grocery items from the food bank directly to seniors' doors.
"It's no secret that this past year brought funding uncertainties for nonprofits across the country, especially those addressing food and nutrition insecurity," said Brent Wakefield, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels San Diego County. "This year, it's all about collaboration, not competition, to help the most vulnerable in our community: homebound seniors.
"Through the `Groceries on the Go' program, we'll go beyond our traditional model of delivering prepared meals to provide perishable and shelf- stable groceries that will supplement other meals, giving our seniors more opportunities to live a nutritious and independent lifestyle, even if they can't leave home to shop for the groceries they need."
The More Than a Meal initiative also provides daily safety checks, social connection and access to resources that help them remain safe and independent at home, a statement from the nonprofits read.
Meals on Wheels already delivers up to two meals per day, and Groceries on the Go fill gaps in clients' daily nutrition.
"Seniors with limited mobility face unique barriers to accessing food, and this program helps close a critical gap in our community's hunger- relief system," said Casey Castillo, CEO of the San Diego Food Bank. "By working alongside Meals on Wheels San Diego County, we are meeting people where they are, literally at their doors, with the food and support that make stability and dignity possible."
Items volunteers or staff will deliver include shelf-stable items such as foiled-packed proteins, granola bars, canned goods, cereal items, powdered milk, fruit juices, crackers and peanut butter.
According to the nonprofits, the pilot program will deliver groceries to up to 500 households a month across the county. The grocery deliveries are an add-on to the existing Meals on Wheels program, not a stand-alone service.
For more information about the program and ways to support Meals on Wheels San Diego County, call 1-800-573-6467.
