General
Funding Helps Meals on Wheels Anchor New Circle of Care Nonprofit Hub
American Rescue Plan Award Supports Synergistic Direct-service Collaboration
GREENFIELD, IN – Meals on Wheels of Hancock County has robust plans for the nearly $730,000 in American Rescue Plan funds recently designated to help local nonprofits post-COVID-19.
As part of a $15 million award provided to Hancock County through the American Rescue Plan grant, the near-quarter-of-a-million-dollar funding empowers Meals on Wheels to collaborate with the Hancock County Community Foundation. The social service nonprofits teamed up to create the Circle of Care nonprofit hub, whereas Meals on Wheels will hold the title to HCCF’s current property at 312 E. Main St., Greenfield, as the anchor organization starting in 2023.
Meals on Wheels was recently awarded the gift, valued at $550,000. at the HCCF’s annual gala in November. Executive Director Lynda Kosh graciously accepted alongside Board Chair Andy Turner, and serving board members and staff in attendance.
“I am full of heartfelt gratitude and overwhelmed with emotion as the Circle of Care vision begins to take shape in reality,” Kosh said. “It is an honor to have the work of Meals on Wheels, and our staff, board and army of volunteers to be recognized in this manner.”
Kosh said Meals on Wheels will provide leadership for other Hancock County social service nonprofits to be housed in the new Circle of Care center in 2023. Families United for Support and Encouragement (FUSE), Hancock County Children’s Choir, Hancock County Firefly, Hancock County Leaders in Navigating Knowledge, Healthy 365 and WorkOne will join the hub.
“We are well able and up for the task to work alongside our nonprofit partners to provide much-needed services and care to our families, friends and neighbors of Hancock County in a shared, inviting and collaborative location,” Kosh said.
Meals on Wheels of Hancock County, which moved to the 312 E. Main St. location at the end of summer 2022, will manage the Circle of Care collaboration. Immediate duties include renovating the building into an accessible, collaborative nonprofit center. Kosh said the hub allows for multiple direct-service providers to create nonprofit synergy. This helps shrink barriers and creates “transformational opportunities” for the Hancock County community in one convenient location, with accessibility for clients with disabilities.
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About Meals on Wheels of Hancock County
Meals on Wheels of Hancock County was established in 2001 in Greenfield, Ind., to meet the needs of local aging and at-risk communities. The nonprofit’s mission is to help the citizens of Hancock County maintain an independent lifestyle through the delivery of nutritious meals in accordance with prescribed dietary needs, and provide a point of personal contact with the community.
Meals on Wheels Wins Community Award
2021 BOBBY KEEN HEALTHY COMMUNITY AWARD RECIPIENT
Meals on Wheels of Hancock County marked the close to 2021 with cause for celebration.
The nonprofit was honored as the most recent recipient of the Bobby Keen Healthy Community Award, named for the former Hancock Regional Hospital president and CEO. The award recognizes a hospital program or local organization that has made a significant and positive impact on the health and wellness of the Hancock County community.
Meals on Wheels was recognized for safely delivering meals that meet patients’ dietary needs every weekday, including weekend meals on Fridays, throughout Hancock County. Especially during the pandemic.
“As the pandemic has increased social isolation and food insecurity among seniors, Meals on Wheels has created an innovative approach to meet this need by delivering shelf-stable emergency food boxes. The organization also participates in the local Post-Discharge Nutrition Initiative (PDNI) that ensures malnourished patients receive nutrition after they leave the hospital,” Hancock Health said in a press release.
As part of the Bobby Keen Award designation, the Meals on Wheels program received a $1,000 donation to provide meals to neighbors in need and deliveries of Care Boxes filled with shelf-stable pantry items. The award money can help sponsor the cost of meals for those who qualify for subsidies, and provide access to food in cases of adverse weather or emergencies.
Meals on Wheels Executive Director Lynda Kosh said she was overwhelmed by the Hancock Health Foundation’s gratitude and showing of appreciation.
“It’s a privilege to do what what we do in taking care of our friends, family and neighbors here in the community,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Our excellent staff does a great job in serving your friends and family here in this community, and we are all thankful for this award.”
Bobby Keen Healthy Community Award winners include:
- 2013: Hospice
- 2014: K.B. Memorial Soup Kitchen
- 2015: Hancock County Children’s Choir
- 2016: Greenfield Parks Department
- 2017: The Landing Place
- 2018: Hancock Regional Hospital Guild
- 2019: Rock Steady Boxing
- 2020: Brianna’s Hope of Greenfield
- 2021: Meals on Wheels of Hancock County
Support Seniors Impacted by COVID-19
MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA’S ‘DON’T STOP NOW’ CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES AWARENESS AND ACTION IN SUPPORT OF VULNERABLE SENIORS
Arlington, VA / Meals On Wheels America
Before COVID-19 hit, 1 in 4 seniors lived alone while 1 in 6 seniors experienced hunger. This number has grown steadily since lockdown measures have come into place and increasingly more seniors must shelter in place to remain safe during the pandemic.
As a result, Meals on Wheels programs nationwide are delivering 77% more meals to 47% more seniors than they were just months ago. To remind businesses and individuals alike that we cannot stop caring for our most vulnerable during this time, Meals on Wheels America, the largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based senior nutrition programs across the country, has partnered with more than twenty-five national brands to help the homebound seniors served by Meals on Wheels through a new campaign – Don’t Stop Now.
The Don’t Stop Now campaign runs online through Nov. 30, 2020, raising awareness and encouraging individuals to take action in support of vulnerable seniors both nationally and in their local community. The campaign kicked off with a matching contribution from naviHealth for the Meals on Wheels COVID-19 Response Fund and is boosted by donated airtime from Comcast and Univision to run public service announcements.
In addition to those listed above, the effort has garnered participation from several national brands including Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity, Anchor Brewing Co., Anova Culinary, Bob’s Red Mill, bonrisu™, The Coca-Cola Company, Consumer Cellular, Danone North America (and a number of Danone brands including Activia®, DanActive®, Dannon®, evian®, Horizon® Organic, Light + Fit®, Oikos®, Oikos® Triple Zero, So Delicious® Dairy Free, Two Good® and Wallaby® Organic), GSN Games, HITRECORD, The Home Depot Foundation, Macy’s and Synchrony. Companies participating are sharing campaign messaging across their communications channels, writing notes of encouragement to seniors served by Meals on Wheels, are making first-time and renewed philanthropic contributions, and encouraging their various stakeholders to do the same.
“We’re all feeling worn down by the troubling news surrounding COVID-19,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “But the reality is, we can’t let our foot off the gas pedal when millions of seniors are looking to us for a vital lifeline and will continue to rely on our nutritious meals and friendly check-ins for the foreseeable future. Now is not the time to lose momentum. That’s why we’re carrying the message to businesses and individuals alike: Don’t Stop Now.”
More information about the campaign, and the issues facing Meals on Wheels and the older adults they serve, can be found at www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/dontstopnow. The public is encouraged to join the conversation on social using #DontStopNow.
ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits, and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research, and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time.
Go Team Hancock County!
Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” She was wise in her years, and might agree with the more current pop culture sentiment that “Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Meals on Wheels of Hancock County is teaming up with community hunger-fighting champions Hoosier Harvest Market, Boys and Girls Clubs of Hancock County and the Hancock County Food Pantry to help bring fresh, Hoosier-grown produce to our program clients — especially when needed the most.
“It’s allowing people to work together while thinking outside of the box.” said Lynda Kosh, Meals on Wheels of Hancock County Executive Director. “We’re also connecting farmers to communities. What’s that quote, ‘Necessity is the motherhood of invention?'”
Chantal Fowler, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hancock County, agrees. Her organization is distributing meals to kids up to age 18 from 4-6 p.m. every Friday. The meals are distributed at a limited number, and will be distributed until they run out for that week.
“It’s modernizing and adapting to meeting the needs of the community,” she said.
Amy Suburg, Hoosier Harvest Market president and Berry Goods Farm owner, said her business has adapted to the social distancing and COVID-19 changes.
“I created an online store for my farm in two days,” she said.
Hoosier Harvest Market is a farmer-owned online cooperative featuring local produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, wheat products, flowers, honey and more, all grown or made throughout the state. Hoosier Harvest Market has partnered with Healthy 365, whose mission is promoting health, happiness, and wholeness in Hancock County, to ensure residents are staying healthy and fed, especially during the pandemic.
“Our partnership with Healthy 365 targets at-risk populations, and we’re in our third year now,” Suburg said. “We offer cooking classes, which we may need to offer online now, and include these recipes in the bags that go out.”
(See below for Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan recipe, courtesy of Hoosier Harvest Market.)
In addition to weekday deliveries of our signature hot and cold meals, we’re delivering Care Boxes filled with Hoosier Harvest Market pantry-stable produce and canned and dry foods and necessities from the Hancock County Food Pantry. We’re thrilled to receive packing support, including space and Care Box packers, through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hancock County.
The Meals on Wheels of Hancock County team has been surveying clients to learn if available farm-to-table produce, pantry items and other necessities in Care Boxes are helpful. As well as finding out if pets need food and if there’s a need for masks. We are thankful for hand-made mask donations from Hancock County neighbors.
We appreciate all of our creative community partners in helping us deliver more than a meal during COVID-19. Also, packages of kindness and sentiments of love for neighbors.
Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund Goes a Long Way
As we adapt to the changes the COVID-19 pandemic has presented in our community, Meals on Wheels of Hancock County is being lifted up by support from the Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund.
Meals on Wheels of Hancock County is honored to be one of 46 Central Indiana community organizations benefiting from the first-round of C-CERF donations totaling more than $7 million statewide. The funds are helping stabilize community organizations such as ours as we change delivery protocols and add more vulnerable clients, such as seniors and those with compromised immunities who are following stay-at-home orders and staying healthy through social distancing measures.
We are utilizing the funds to help continue our safe weekday home deliveries of nutritious meals in accordance with prescribed dietary needs, and provide a point of contact in the community through follow-up phone calls once meals have been safely placed in coolers on clients’ porches. If you or a loved one or neighbor are interested in receiving meals, click here to get meals or call (317) 477-4345. You may also support our nonprofit organization by volunteering and donating online.
According to the United Way of Central Indiana, the economic relief fund was launched at the end of March with initial investments from founding partners Lilly Endowment Inc., Central Indiana Community Foundation (through the Glick Fund and The Indianapolis Foundation), Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, and United Way of Central Indiana. The Fund is helping us, and our fellow Hoosiers, in weathering the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the days and weeks to come.
“Our coalition of funders has been in daily communication with community leaders across Central Indiana to assess emerging needs and direct service providers to better understand their most pressing challenges,” said Ann Murtlow, president & CEO, United Way of Central Indiana, which is administering the fund. “With this information, the founding funders of C-CERF were able to make decisions on grants to organizations that serve in critical service areas that provide flexibility to problem solve in a rapidly changing environment.”
On April 7, the Task Force of the Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund announced a second wave of grants to 32 human service organizations in the six-county region. As of today, more than $22.2 million has been donated to the Fund, and 100% of all donations to C-CERF’s website go directly to organizations serving those in need due to the pandemic.
“At this moment, our community is feeling the impact of layoffs and other job losses, increased childcare needs due to school closures, and significant food shortages for our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development. “We hope this funding can help these organizations begin to address these and other critical needs.”
As Meals on Wheels of Hancock County and United Way of Central Indiana are #INthistogether, we proudly stand with Gov. Eric Holcomb, and a distinguished roster of corporate partners, nonprofit organizations and individuals, for the recently announced #INthistogether statewide campaign to focus on the importance of social distancing. To participate, go to INthistogetherCampaign.com and click the contact under Get IN Touch to join the coalition of community partners.
According to the campaign, social distancing is the most important, effective tool we have to defeat COVID-19 — and a growing coalition of Indiana-based partners is committed to equipping everyone in our state with the knowledge and the resources to stay connected and motivated.
Looking for a social post starter? How about this:
We are #INthistogether! We may be social distancing, but we can stay connected and well. Take a walk outside. Call your family. Let me know how you’re in #INthistogether and invite others to join the campaign to flatten the COVID-19 curve. www.inthistogethercampaign.com
To learn more or to donate to the C-CERF, text HELP2020 to 91999 or visit www.covid19cerf.org.
Together We Can Make a Difference During COVID-19 Crisis
As a proud member of Meals on Wheels America, Meals on Wheels of Hancock County serves an incredibly vulnerable population. We’re often the primary lifeline delivering so much more than just a meal, especially in the uncertain times we find ourselves experiencing.
Across the country, community meal delivery programs such as Meals on Wheels of Hancock County are monitoring the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We’re taking healthy precautions to protect high-risk individuals, and all of our clients and volunteers, while preparing for increased demand and new ways of delivering services, including a limited contact model of delivery and phone calls to follow-up and check-in.
We know the critical importance of preparation in times like this and understand the delicate balance between panic and preparedness. We support facts over fear, and constantly monitor updates and directives for social distancing and stay-at-home initiatives. You can read Meals on Wheels America’s frequently-updated national coronavirus response here.
Keeping Neighbors Safe Amid COVID-19
Vulnerable seniors and homebound neighbors with compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk amid COVID-19. Local Meals on Wheels programs such as Meals on Wheels of Hancock County’s are on the front lines every day, focused on doing all we can to keep fellow Americans safe and nourished in communities nationwide.
The costs and efforts needed to protect neighbors from COVID-19 require additional emergency funds, and that’s why we’re asking Hoosier businesses, foundations and the general public to remember our vulnerable neighbors in our local response. We’re monitoring the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and will continue to share updates as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, we ask for your help. Please help sponsor those who may need financial support in securing daily delivery of our fresh, healthy meals, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Also:
⦁ Take Precautions Around High-risk Individuals
Whether you’re visiting your grandparents or volunteering for Meals on Wheels of Hancock County, please follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on how to protect yourself and individuals at risk of serious illness from COVID-19.
⦁ Contact Your At-risk Loved Ones and Neighbors
Now is the time to call, text or email your older neighbors and loved ones to see what they might need to be prepared. Let them know you’re thinking about them and that you’re available to help, should they need it.
⦁ Follow CDC Recommendations for At-risk Older Adults
Like many illnesses, older adults face higher risks of contracting COVID-19 and/or experiencing complications, particularly if they also have chronic medical conditions. According to CDC, if you are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should:
Stock up on appropriate supplies
⦁ Take ⦁ everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others
⦁ When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often.
Avoid crowds as much as possible.
We encourage concerned individuals to follow state and local health department communications for the best information and accurate instructions for each unique community. Stay safe and healthy.