When you think about vulnerable populations,
they are often the ones that must be protected at all costs, but also a part of
the population that is forgotten. And in this time of a pandemic surging across
the nation, it is time we think about these vulnerable populations. This
is exactly why I chose CityMeals on Wheels as my nonprofit organization. CityMeals
on Wheels is the only nonprofit organization in New York City that serves
vulnerable populations which they call “frail aged citizens that are homebound.”
The purpose behind CityMeals on Wheels
is to hand-deliver meals that are certified by the FDA in nutrition to keep
these vulnerable populations healthy and show them, they are not forgotten by
fellow New Yorkers.
CityMeals
on Wheels was founded in November of 1981 by a food critic name Gael Greene,
who was “shocked to learn that frail age New Yorkers are facing hunger,” and
with one simple phone call, CityMeals on Wheels was founded to deliver
weekend meals to those same frail aged citizens who could not leave their homes
to complete the basic task of grocery shopping to cooking. Throughout the years,
CityMeals went from only providing weekend meals to being able to provide, meals
Monday through Sunday, holiday meals, emergency meals and having a mobile food
pantry at their disposal. Growing up in a Christian household I was always taught
to “help those that are less fortunate and cannot do for themselves.” And these
are the morals CityMeals are working by, they are helping those that cannot
help themselves while also spreading awareness to the problems these populations
face and coming up with feasible solutions also.
This organization
is proven to get the job done, in the fiscal year of 2019 CityMeals alone
provided 1,578,445 meals to frail aged citizens while also providing 1,638
emergency meals. CityMeals also prides itself on being able to build relationships
in the community they serve by not only hand-delivering meals but connecting
senior citizens to volunteers that would not mind spending six hours a week with
them. The sheer idea behind human interaction is often taken for granted, but
it is also one that the senior citizens enjoy since they normally have no one
to talk to daily. This is accomplished through their “Friendly Visiting”
the initiative, which screens volunteers and pairs them with a senior citizen in
need of companionship.
This is
just a snippet of what CityMeals on Wheels do in all five boroughs. But
although this is just a snippet you can easily see how much of an impact, they
hold within the New York City communities.
Nia Johnson
Hi Nia, great pitch! This truly seems like a great organization and I appreciate how it targets a demographic that tends to be ignored. I think it is important to recognize that life does not necessarily get easier or simpler as you age, I think City Meals on Wheels does a great job of recognizing this. Their “Friendly Visiting” initiative seems like a productive program and I think it is pretty unique, as I have never heard of something like this before. A simple interaction can really go a long way in making a person’s day. To be frank, I wouldn’t have assumed much of a meal delivery program, however, I think this pandemic has highlighted the importance of organizations like these. A huge thanks to them and all the hard work and dedication they have put in during this time!
ReplyDeleteHi Nia!
ReplyDeleteI thought your pitch was awesome! I especially loved that it was about food! Not only is food amazing but during this pandemic there is an increasingly large number of people who are unable to obtain food. Stores have been wiped clean in many areas, and it is very risky to go out in public areas to food stores. Being that the current state of our world is in need of philanthropic efforts surrounding food, this is a wonderful charity to pitch and donate to.
When looking at food getting delivered, I think this is an incredibly helpful resource for people to continue social distancing while still having the ability to obtain their groceries or necessary foods. As of now I currently am staying in a rural area of New York and still find myself struggling to obtain my groceries, I can only imagine how hard that must be for those living in the New York boroughs. A small population as you mentioned that is helped by the City Meals on Wheels is the elderly. Previously I mentioned my difficulties getting food, but for the elderly it must be near impossible to go to grocery stores. This organization does a wonderful job in offering a resource to elderly individuals, while also including a “friendly initiative” by pairing them with a friendly worker.
I think this also opens the eyes to other grocery/food services and organizations to others. While many may believe that they are on their own as far as food goes, this organization helps ensure that that is not the case. If people seek out ways to have their resources, then they may get lucky enough to have them hand delivered to them! I was trying to find ways to get groceries to my grandmother without coming into contact with her, and I think I will definitely mention this organization to her since she lives in the city :)
Thank you!
Elly
Great pitch, I enjoyed seeing your presentation. I think that this is a good organization to donate to in a time like this. With this pandemic, I have often written on the blog about how I feel it is important for the class to take into account what is going on right now. As bad as the situation is, being in this class gives us an opportunity to help. Thus, we must take full advantage of it and look at all the potential destinations, including charity pitches. I think CityMeals on Wheels can be an effective direction for us to donate towards, and it is good that we did so.
ReplyDeleteDelivering to “frail aged citizens that are homebound”, is very much needed during this pandemic. Only good can come out of this. There are so many people that are quarantined that do not have access to necessary needs, or able to leave in order to acquire them. Having this organization do so in a sanitary way can help a lot of people out. In such an unprecedented time, any way that people can help each other is very much necessary. It is important for us all to realize that we are in this together and that we must pool our efforts as a united community in order to get through this. Isolation can lead to a downward slope that no one wants to go through. That is why when you mentioned the “Friendly Visiting initiative, which screens volunteers and pairs them with a senior citizen in need of companionship”, it really stood out to me. This can help to boost morale, and CityMeals on Wheels can definitely make an impact during this pandemic.
Thank you, Nia, for bringing this organization to our attention! This is definitely an organization that I would have no qualms with supporting. Before my grandmother passed away, she often spoke about having friends who struggled to get the appropriate nutrition because of the trips they had to make going to the grocery store. My grandma lived in the Bronx therefore it is easy to understand the difficulties one could have at their older ages getting to where they need to go. Some neighborhoods like my grandma’s has a steep incline going up the street,(she lived in front of Yankee Stadium) which did not agree with my legs so I can only guess how people older than me deal with it. I feel that this especially needed now as they are one of the vulnerable populations we are attempting to protect by adhering to the quarantine. I love seeing results as an organization needs to be able to enact the change they want to see in the community. I can appreciate their focus on not just daily day-to-day food but service as well. Volunteers helping and chatting with elderly people makes them feel a lot better as they wouldn’t normally get to talk to people. As with VINES people need to eat but it is more important for people to eat healthily. It would save people money going to the doctor’s office and their body would appreciate it more the older they get. .With City Meals reaching all five boroughs, their impact is widespread and has saved thousands of elderly people. I think you really chose a great organization and it is nice knowing they are doing they’re best in this pandemic.
ReplyDelete