National Church Residences providing free meals to Atlanta seniors

ATLANTA - This is an especially challenging time for seniors in our community.  The elimination of certain Marta routes and reduction in Ride Shares has made it difficult for some to get around.  Others are afraid to leave the house for fear of contracting COVID-19. A non-profit is doing its part to make sure some seniors in the Atlanta area don't go hungry.

Jacque Thornton, Director of Population Health  for  National Church Residences in Georgia told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes,  "We already knew that folks were food insecure in the senior population, however since COVID-19 the impact is that elders can't get to local grocery stores and to essential items in the community."

Thornton, working with community partners, leads the initiative to make sure 1400 seniors who live in the non-profit organization's Fulton County communities don't go hungry.

She's turned the unused commercial kitchen at Big Bethel Village, which is an affordable housing community in southwest Atlanta, into a food hub for seniors in need during the crisis, ensuring residents receive free meals every day. "We opened this emergency food hub to be a resource in our community so that elders could actually access meals on a regular basis."

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Residents like Edward Mosley. He recently underwent surgery, has a hard time getting around, and is grateful for the assistance. "When they knocked on the door and had my food it was like God answered my prayers," said Mosley.

NCR was awarded $345,000 in grants from Fulton County Government, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the United Way of Greater Atlanta, money that will fund the distribution of over 44,000 meals through the end of July.

Thornton finds the interaction between seniors and those delivering food, an added benefit, during this time of social isolation. "I hear elders say someone's checking on me. I'm getting these groceries at my door. Someone's knocking having a conversation, albeit maybe six feet away someone's checking on me. So, it's more than a meal.  It's bringing community."

RELATED: CoronavirusNOW.com, FOX launches national hub for COVID-19 news and updates.

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