Over 100,000 Free Meals Provided to Older Adults

 Over 100,000 Free Meals Provided to Older Adults

The Jewish Community Center of Youngstown and Jewish Family Services partnered with Direction Home of Eastern Ohio to expand JFS’s mobile meals program during the pandemic. To date, over 100,000 free meals have been delivered to eligible individuals in Mahoning County and northern Columbiana County.

"The fresh meals we provided have been cooked by our own staff and delivered to older adults in our local community,” said Ken Bielecki, JFS director. “Our agencies quickly adapted to meet the basic needs of our community at the start of a very difficult time. The number of individual meals delivered, since the pandemic started, is just one testament of how our concerted efforts help our community on a regular basis. I am very proud of all those involved with this ongoing effort and happy that we are able to help with accessibility for food to those in need."

Funding for the program is provided by First Place Community Fund, Community Foundation Mahoning Valley, Mercy Health Foundation, United Way, the Thomases Family Endowment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, and from funding provided by donors to the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation and JCC of Youngstown. 

Additional short-term funding is allowing us to expand this service into Trumbull County for the next several months. Mobile Meals participants will receive five frozen meals per week, delivered to their home at no cost.

Eligible individuals:

• those age 60 and older residing in southern Trumbull County regardless of income
• adults of any age who have a disabled child in their home

For more information, or to sign up for the program, please contact Jewish Family Services at 330.746.7929.

In part based on the great work done with the Mobile Meals program, The Youngstown Area Jewish Federation was chosen as a COVID-19 Hero by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Mahoning- Shenango Chapter. AFP Mahoning-Shenango chose to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in addressing community needs arising from the pandemic. The National Philanthropy Day 2020 Celebration was held Nov. 13 at Stambaugh Auditorium, with in-person and virtual viewing options for members and honorees. To learn more about Federation’s efforts during the pandemic, read this edition of Liptalk. Pictured are Federation senior staff members.