Everyone needs to eat

Samaritan Caregivers tackles senior food insecurity after pandemic

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The pandemic changed a lot of things. This is true in the daily lives of many people in Kokomo, and homebound seniors are no exception. Already challenged by a lack of transportation and dwindling buying power thanks to inflation, these seniors often have difficulty maintaining a healthy diet in a post-COVID world.

Samaritan Caregivers is here to help. Opening its doors in 1997, the charitable organization has been helping seniors ever since. But, as executive director Jamey Henderson explained, things change. Once a United Way agency, Samaritan Caregivers parted ways two years ago as the pandemic reshaped how the non-profit fulfills its mission.

“We benefited for many years from our relationship with United Way, and I am very grateful for that,” said Henderson. “But the pandemic has changed a lot of things. We’re still serving a couple hundred people every year

“Some of them we serve every week. Some of them we serve whenever they need us. Our priority has changed due to the pandemic. We are very aware of senior food insecurity.”

Feeding seniors who have difficulty obtaining healthy food on a regular basis is the top priority of Samaritan Caregivers these days. Through its Hunger Heroes program, volunteers can donate or shop for these seniors, ensuring they receive food each month.

This effort is underwritten primarily by the City of Kokomo through a Community Development Block Grant. Henderson explained that the charity currently has a contract to receive $14,000 from the city to reimburse grocery expenditures. It also received a $5,000 grant from Duke Energy to assist in the program.

“So, we provide $40 in groceries for 45 people every month,” said Henderson. “A lot of seniors are having some trouble eating anything other than canned foods, because that is all they can afford. So, when you think about all of your meat, vegetables, and fruit coming from a can … eww.

“These people are at a time in their lives when they should have healthy food to eat. An apple, a banana, a salad, hamburger, a pork chop. This is the best way people can help. These seniors often live on a fixed income that isn’t keeping pace with inflation.”

Volunteering for Samaritan Caregivers might be one of the easiest ways someone can give back to the community. It involves shopping for a senior, typically while the volunteer is already shopping for themselves.

“We call our seniors and get their lists,” said Henderson. “We get them whatever brand or style they want. We have gift cards Aldi, Kroger, and Meijer for our volunteers to use to buy the groceries.

“Nearly half of our individuals are matched with volunteers who like them so much that they want to shop for them every month. For the other half, it is a more random process so that our volunteers can serve as it fits their schedule. If you already shop at Meijer, maybe this month you’ll shop for someone else at the same time. It doesn’t take long to buy $40 of groceries.”

Before things changed thanks to COVID, Samaritan Caregivers had a second major service that rivalled meal provision in importance. It provided transportation to seniors. In the wake of the world becoming more isolated, that service was greatly reduced. But it still exists.

“We provide vehicle trips, though we don’t do as many as we did before the pandemic,” said Henderson. “But we still provide rides, especially to medical appointments. A lot of our seniors don’t drive, so our volunteers get them where they need to go. Someone who has a reliable vehicle, proof of insurance, and a valid driver’s license can volunteer, and the trips are arranged on a case-by-case basis.”

Like most non-profits, volunteers and donors are the backbones of Samaritan Caregivers’ success, and they can use the help. To volunteer, visit www.samaritancaregivers.org, click on the “Volunteer” tab and sign up. Information on volunteer opportunities is available on the site as well. Alternately, volunteers can call 765-453-7611, or visit the Samaritan Caregivers office at 2705 S. Berkley Road, Suite 3C.

Financial donations also are accepted through the website. Donations can be directed to the Hunger Heroes program or can be given as general support for the non-profit. Samaritan Caregivers is a 501(c)(3) organization.