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Date: 10/12/2022
SOUTH HADLEY – In collaboration with the Center Church First Congregational Church United Church of Christ of South Hadley, meal program Food for Friends is hosting a fundraising dinner on Oct. 22 to continue serving homebound seniors in the community.
People are invited to purchase tickets for the fundraiser at Center Church on the town common from 5-7 p.m. to share a meal (eat-in or to-go options) that is typical of what is served to clients, and to learn more about the program. Food for Friends offers home-delivered weekend meals for elderly residents and serves as a supplier of critical nutrition to the vulnerable demographic.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and children. All tickets must be purchased by Oct. 18 and can be ordered online at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/ead10e44-17d2-4f2d-946a-5a3adbd146ad. Tickets can also be purchased by making a check payable to Food for Friends and mailing it to Center Church on 1 Church St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Tickets and receipt of order will be provided at the door, and you can call 533-1925 with any questions.
The program started in response to filling a need with the Meals on Wheels program. Food for Friends prepares and delivers freshly made meals one weekend a month to an average of 100 homebound seniors in South Hadley and Granby. Food for Friends is a group of volunteers from Center Church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, United Methodist Church, LifePoint Church and the South Hadley Democratic Town Committee.
Clients of the program are generally also clients of the Meals on Wheels program, which delivers meals only on weekdays, creating a gap on weekends for seniors relying on delivered meals. Volunteers deliver these weekend meals and establish a helping hand and personal contact that has become very appreciated by the seniors involved in the program.
Food for Friends is overall a smaller volunteer program within the greater Take and Eat program in the state. Take and Eat was founded in 2003 by Deacon Frank and Kathleen Ryan from Florida, MA who recognized that the Meals on Wheels program left this significant gap for the homebound elderly on the weekends. They began organizing groups in dozens of towns throughout Western Mass., including South Hadley and Granby.
Volunteer with Food for Friends Barbara Callan-Bogia said meals are prepared by Food for Friends every third Saturday of the month staring at 8 a.m. and sent out for delivery by mid-day.
“It’s very organized, we have routes and the drivers take the prepared meals and deliver them to the people on their route. It’s all volunteer,” Callan-Bogia said.
Callan-Bogia added the senior population can be easily forgotten about and being able to assist homebound seniors on weekends to fill in the blank of meal deliveries those days has been important in showing community support for elders.
“With us delivering a really nice hot meal, they get a good hearty meal,” Callan-Bogia said. “They know it’s a labor of love that we are doing.”
According to Callan-Bogia said volunteers of the program all find pleasure from helping out those who need it and being able to create contacts with clients as it provides some community building to homebound seniors.
While they share their client list with three other churches who cover the remaining weekends of the month, Food for Friends is solely responsible for all other aspects of the program including organizing volunteers and generating funding through donations and grants to purchase food and packaging materials.
The program’s operating expenses average $200 a month and covers food, packaging supplies and membership fees for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. According to the group, it is a crucial point where their account must be replenished so they can continue to cover operating expenses. “It takes a village to help a village,” is a slogan used by the group.
Callan-Bogia hopes residents come out for the fundraiser dinner to support the work done by Food for Friends and help raise money to continue their work. She added she hopes those who attend can be educated further on food insecurity and the work done by Food for Friends.
“My husband and I also volunteer on Wednesday afternoons at the Food for Friends pantry in South Hadley and last week I had a woman say to me, ‘I had to make a decision, rent is due or food, so I’m here,’” Callan-Bogia said. “I said you know you made a good decision. We’re here to give food if you need it. We’re seeing a lot more of that these days. Imagine now for the homebound [seniors]. They need the help.”