Bristol senior center mobilizing volunteers and food deliveries

Volunteers put together 250 care packages for local seniors

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On a bright, sunny Thursday morning in the parking lot of the Benjamin Church Senior Center, a cheer arose from the group of about 20 volunteers gathered (6 feet apart from each other!) as a large truck from We Share Hope, a Warren-based food bank, backed into the lot to drop off 12 pallets of donated food.

Racks of bread, crates of produce, boxes filled with containers of soup, milk and yogurt were all offloaded and set up on tables, where reusable grocery bags were filled with the staples.

Some were distributed to residents of the adjacent Benjamin Church Manor, some went to residents of Franklin Court Independent Living, and others will be distributed to seniors living elsewhere in town.

“We reached out to We Share Hope to help our seniors fill their cupboards, but also to keep them safe at home and away from stores,” said Senior Center Assistant Director Donna Wilson. “And the YMCA is helping make the deliveries.”

“Remember the little game we’d play when we were younger … ding dong ditch? That’s what we’re going to do,” said Ms. Wilson, laughing. “We’re going to leave the food on their doorstep, ring the bell, and run away.”

“We wish we could visit, and give them a hug, but we can’t.”

The Senior Center has also been working with volunteers, restaurants, producers and distributors to help get hot meals out to seniors. They have distributed about 500 hot meals in the past two weeks.

“Our focus is on seniors without family to shop for them,” said Ms. Wilson.

“Our whole goal is to remind seniors, stay home,” said Senior Center Director Maria Ursini. “We’re here, we’re doing our best to take care of you, and we want you to stay safe and come back when this is all done. We need you back.”

“We want them to know we miss them, and we’re thinking of them, and to let them know that just because they are isolated, they’re not forgotten.”

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