Local restaurants are invited to take part in a new feeding program headed by the West Piedmont Planning District Commission which will provide hot meals to low-to-moderate income seniors in the region. Participating restaurants will receive $20 per meal.
For more information, visit: https://www.henrycountyva.gov/.../restaurants-needed-for...
Local restaurants are invited to participate
in a new project headed by the West Piedmont Planning District Commission
(WPPDC) that will provide meals to low-to-moderate income senior citizens in
the region.
Contributing eateries are eligible for a
reimbursement of $20 per meal.
Kathleen McEvoy, Community Development
Specialist for WPPDC, said that the reimbursement is a flat rate which will
cover the meal and other associated costs such as packaging.
Over the course of 35 weeks, the Southern
Area Agency on Aging (SAAA) will be responsible for distributing the meals to
approximately 300 qualifying seniors in Henry, Patrick, Franklin, and
Pittsylvania counties; and the cities of Martinsville and Danville.
One lunch will be provided per week to each
senior. The day of the week will vary depending on the senior’s locality.
Participating restaurants may contact the
WPPDC for examples of sample meals to prepare.
The meals are intended to address urgent
needs in the community related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Since the beginning, this pandemic has been
a persistent threat to not only the lives of seniors in our area but also to
the livelihoods of our local restaurants. We have an opportunity to mitigate
the impacts of COVID-19 on both through this project,” McEvoy said. “The
restaurants get a nice stipend to support their operations and seniors get a
hot meal without needing to risk their health. It’s truly a win-win scenario.”
McEvoy said the meals will need to be
packaged individually but restaurants may use their usual to-go containers for
the program.
Transportation drivers from the SAAA will
pick up the meals from the restaurant. Upon arrival, the restaurants will be
asked to complete a form verifying the amount of meals prepared. The same form
will be used by the drivers to verify the meals were dropped off at the
appropriate homes.
In addition to the meals provided by the
restaurants, fresh food boxes from local producers will be given to nearly 500
seniors within the same service area in partnership with regional farmers’
markets.
Henry County, in partnership with the WPPDC,
was recently awarded $400,000 from the Virginia Community Development Block
Grant Coronavirus program. The funds will be used by the WPPDC to pay for the
entire project.
“This is an incredible opportunity to make a
real difference in the community,” said Brandon Martin, Public Relations and
Community Liaison for Henry County. “Projects like these go a long way in
assisting our most vulnerable residents. Moreover, the grant funds allow us to
do so without placing an extra burden on our taxpayers. This is a phenomenal
cause and I’d like to thank our community partners for offering their time and
donations to such a worthy endeavor.”
Along with addressing food insecurity, the
project will also offer baby and toddler supplies to approximately 1,500
low-to-moderate income households in the region through a partnership with the
Henry-Martinsville Department of Social Services.
Overall, the grant will support local
restaurants, farmers, children and seniors who have been adversely affected by
the pandemic.
For more questions or for restaurants looking
to participate in the program, contact Community Development Specialist
Patricia Foley at (276) 634-4620 or McEvoy at (276) 638-3987 ext. 7.
