Delivering Smiles
to Local Elderly
Neighborhood Alliance collects donations throughout the year to provide a three-day
supply of emergency shelf-stable food to those seniors who participate in our Home
Delivered Meals Program. All of our seniors have experienced situations that place them
in need of using their emergency food supply. Many have no relatives locally or even
neighbors that will step in and offer assistance. Considering the frailest of our recipients,
even one day of poor nutrition can increase their medical and nutritional risk. By
engaging the community and our corporate partners Neighborhood Alliance had great
success in 2013 collecting and distributing these bags to our clients.
Ian Sooy and Taylor Stephens, 2013
Leadership Lorain County Internship
Program Interns for Neighborhood Alliance
It was enlightening, heartbreaking, and
beautiful. Delivering meals to homebound
seniors proved to be an experience like
nothing else. Tagging along with Paul, who
referred to me as his “sidekick,” our route ran
to Vermilion and back, totaling a delivery of
83 meals, just in one day! Entirely different
from the everyday desk job, we were on the
road from 10:00am until 5:30pm, after
packing the trucks for their routes. It was
more of a process than I had expected it
would be. Certain seniors received different
meals, and because of the 4th of July holiday,
we were delivering three times the meals.
Of course, ensuring that the seniors receive
their needed nutrition is a top priority.
However, it seemed as if many of the seniors
were more grateful for the company we were
providing instead of the meals. Only able to
spare a few minutes at each home, our
conversations were brief yet meaningful.
During my time with the seniors, I heard so
many incredible stories. After just a day on
the job, I felt a connection to many of the
individuals I had met.
It was such an extraordinary experience,
the kind during which I experienced an
entire myriad of emotions. I feel so very
lucky to be a part of an organization like
Neighborhood Alliance, where the services
we provide benefit truly deserving individuals
in Lorain County.
Taylor Stephens, 2013 Summer Intern
R
Thanks so much all you wonderful people.
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HOstored
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I want you folks to know how grateful I am to all of you that have a part in my
neighborhood alliance. What a blessing this program is to all us that can’t always
get out and around. I’m eighty nine years young and it’s getting increasingly hard
for me to tend to things the way I used to a few years ago.
The dinners are always very tasty and the special surprise of goodies that came
yesterday in the Walmart bag was a wonderful surprise! I’ve been really blessed by
Neighborhood Alliance.
To all the good people at my neighborhood alliance, I’m sending you this little note
to thank you and to say how nice it was to be t