NEW YORK, March 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Andrew W.
Mellon Foundation today announced two emergency grants—a
$1 million grant to Citymeals on
Wheels and a $250,000 grant to God's
Love We Deliver—totaling $1.25
million to support efforts to feed and nourish New York City's elderly and health-compromised
populations during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. With the
March 20 passing of "Matilda's Law"—a
measure that mandates New York's
most vulnerable populations, including individuals age 70 and
older, those with compromised immune systems, and those with
underlying illnesses stay home and limit home visitation to avoid
exposure to the virus—there is an urgent need for targeted support
for these community members. During this time of great need
and uncertainty, the Mellon Foundation is committed to doing its
part to aid local nonprofit partners in New York City and hope others will join.
Absent a crisis, many of New York
City's elderly population rely on Citymeals on Wheels and
God's Love We Deliver to provide essential assistance in the form
of nutritious meals delivered throughout all five boroughs.
With the COVID-19 crisis, these organizations are seeing an
overwhelming demand for their services for vulnerable homebound
populations in need.
"In the midst of challenges and uncertainty, New Yorkers
are united by an extraordinary sense of 'village' and 'family' that
has united communities around the world," said Mellon Foundation
President Elizabeth Alexander. "In
the face of unprecedented need in this pandemic, Citymeals and
God's Love We Deliver have remained steadfast in their missions to
provide meals to the most vulnerable populations."
"The Mellon Foundation is eager to support Citymeals and God's
Love We Deliver as they serve on the
front lines, feeding elderly and health-compromised
homebound New Yorkers. We admire the work that they
are doing, preparing and delivering needed meals, and
enlisting others too in serving and
protecting our most vulnerable neighbors in this
pandemic," stated Michele
Warman, the Foundation's executive vice president, chief
operating officer, general counsel and secretary. "We
hope that others join these urgent efforts by
making a contribution."
Citymeals has delivered more than 150,000 meals to the 18,000
homebound elderly it serves in addition to supporting an additional
22,000 older New Yorkers who rely on senior centers for daily meals
but who are unable to travel to them. God's Love We
Deliver cooks and delivers medically-tailored meals to 4,600
vulnerable and health-challenged, homebound clients, including
meals for their senior caregivers and dependent children.
"Citymeals on Wheels is a lifeline for homebound elderly New
Yorkers, who were already isolated and vulnerable before COVID-19,"
said Beth Shapiro, executive
director of Citymeals on Wheels. "We are deeply grateful to
the Mellon Foundation for the generous support that will help us
meet the challenges of these unprecedented times." Amid the growing
coronavirus outbreak Citymeals has continued its home-delivered
meal program and is preparing to package and deliver an additional
300,000 emergency meals for older New Yorkers in need. As the
designated emergency responder for New
York City's seniors, Citymeals ensures older New Yorkers
have sustaining and nourishing meals during this public health
crisis.
"This is an unprecedented time for New
York City and for God's Love We Deliver," says God's Love We
Deliver Vice President and Chief Development Officer David Ludwigson. "Our clients are the most
vulnerable and at-risk population, as they are living with
underlying severe and/or chronic illness, and the majority are
seniors. Every day we receive more calls asking for help, and
this generous gift from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will help
us meet the increased need for our medically-tailored meals and
nutrition counseling, ensuring that we can be there for our
neighbors at a time when they need us most." And to make sure
New York City's most vulnerable
homebound with serious health challenges have nutritious food
during this health care crisis, God's Love We Deliver has hired
additional temporary workers to help with kitchen services,
facilities, meal packaging, and delivery to ensure all deliveries
reach their clients and additional vulnerable people in need.
The organization is purchasing additional shelf-stable food for
clients and for additional vulnerable people in the event that
services are disrupted.
About Citymeals on Wheels
Citymeals on Wheels (citymeals.org) provides a continuous lifeline
of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City's homebound elderly.
Working in partnership with community-based organizations and
senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million
weekend, holiday and emergency meals for more than 18,000 of our
frail, aged neighbors each year. Last year, over 26,000
individuals volunteered more than 90,000 hours of time
to Citymeals' mission.
About God's Love We Deliver
God's Love We Deliver
cooks and home-delivers nutritious, medically tailored meals for
people too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Founded in
1985 as a response to the AIDS pandemic, we now serve people living
with more than 200 different diagnoses. To support the health
and well-being of our clients, we provide ongoing nutrition
assessment, education, and counseling, and advocate for food and
nutrition support. God's Love is a non-sectarian organization
serving individuals living with illness, and their children and
caregivers. With a community of more than 17,000 volunteers,
we deliver 2.1 million meals annually. All services are free
to clients and full of love. For more information, visit
godslovewedeliver.org.
About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Founded in 1969 The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation seeks to
strengthen, promote, and defend the centrality of the humanities
and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse,
fair, and democratic societies. To this end, our core
programs support exemplary and inspiring institutions of higher
education and culture. Additional information is available
at mellon.org.
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SOURCE The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation