BUFFALO, N.Y. — Erie County has come up with a creative solution to congregate meals at senior centers being paused: frozen meals for residents to pick up from the nearest senior center.
Across the county, 27 senior centers will take part in the Frozen Meal Pick-Up Program. Anyone over 60-years-old is eligible, elders are just asked to contribute $3 per meal in cash, check, or EBT. However, the county says no one will be turned away for not being able to pay.
Here's what it includes: elders can chose between three, five, six, eight or 10 meals in a pack, and pick them up once a week. Each meal comes with a roll, milk, and desert.
“The Frozen Meal Pick-Up Program is a great option to reduce food insecurity among older adults especially during the pandemic and winter season. Through the weekly pickup, staff is also able to provide a brief wellness check in an effort to combat social isolation," Erie County Senior Services Commissioner David J. Shenk.
To register for this program or the in-person Stay Fit Dining Program, you can call 716-858-7639.
"We will also continue to offer monthly nutrition handouts and updates on upcoming events within the department to encourage seniors to stay connected," said Shenk.
Here's the list of participating senior centers:
- Akron-Newstead Senior Citizen
- Amherst Senior Center
- Baptist Manor
- Boston Senior Citizen Center
- Cayuga Village Apartments
- Cheektowaga Senior Center
- Clarence Senior Citizen Center
- Concord Nutrition Site
- Friends to the Elderly
- Lancaster Senior Center
- Maryvale East Senior Complex (Moorman)
- Northwest Buffalo Community Center
- Orchard Park Senior Center
- Salvation Army-Tonawanda Branch
- Schiller Park Senior Center
- Sloan Senior Center
- Tosh Collins Center
- Town of Aurora Senior Center
- Town of Evans Senior Center
- Town of Hamburg Senior Center
- Town of Marilla Senior Center
- Town of Tonawanda Senior Center
- United Church Manor
- Violet Housing
- West Seneca Senior Center
- William-Emslie YMCA
- Williamstowne Village
Additionally, the Stay Fit Senior Dining Program has started to reopen. The program helps create a social setting for the older community, the county says. These 16 locations will be open as of March 1:
- Akron-Newstead Senior Citizen
- Amherst Senior Center
- Baptist Manor
- Boston Senior Citizen Center
- Clarence Senior Citizen Center
- Concord Nutrition Site
- Lancaster Senior Center
- Maryvale East Senior Complex (Moorman)
- Northwest Buffalo Community Center
- Orchard Park Senior Center
- Sloan Senior Center
- Town of Aurora Senior Center
- Town of Hamburg Senior Center
- Town of Tonawanda Senior Center
- Violet Housing
- West Seneca Senior Center
For any additional information or questions, you can call the Erie County Senior Services Department at 716-858-8526.
