Announces year-end goal of certifying more than 2,500 at-risk seniors for monthly food boxes provided through USDA’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program
NEW ORLEANS, May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Hundreds of seniors participated in a wide range of health and fitness-focused activities today, as part of JenCare’s second annual Super Senior Fest at Lafreniere Park in Metairie. Many participants additionally signed up on-site for a program that will provide them with an ongoing supply of nutritious food. These individuals will now receive monthly Food for Seniors boxes, through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
“Today is a ‘red-letter day’ for hundreds of seniors who deserve the gift of better health,” said New Orleans native Reggie Ross, M.D., Regional Chief Clinical Officer for seven JenCare Senior Medical Centers serving the Crescent City. “We are so grateful to the many community partners, who helped orchestrate such a broad range of fun activities focused on fitness and nutrition, and it’s wonderful to know that so many older folks were able to sign up and receive their first box of what will become a monthly source of nutritious food.” Dr. Ross added that JenCare today announced its 2023 commitment to certify more than 2,500 food-insecure seniors for monthly CSFP food box pickups at JenCare centers before the end of the year.
“Food for Seniors has been collaborating with JenCare centers for several years, and we deeply appreciate how the medical practice is ramping up its work to help Food for Seniors quickly fill available CSFP caseload for thousands of low-income seniors living with food insecurity,” said Renee L. Davenport, MBA, Director, Food For Seniors, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. “No senior should ever be forced to choose between affording the nutritious food they need and honoring health recommendations from their doctors, including taking needed prescriptions. The doctors and care teams at JenCare understand this, and they’re now helping us quickly get more than 2,500 more seniors supplemental food boxes for monthly pickups at JenCare centers in Gentilly, Gretna, Kenner, Metairie, and New Orleans East.”
Food for Seniors assisted scores of at-risk seniors in completing required CSFP applications during the Super Senior Fest event and those New Orleans residents received their first monthly food box on the spot. Plus, in honor of “National Senior Health & Fitness Day,” Food for Seniors gave each CSFP applicant a $50 gift card redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at an area farmers market.
Today’s Super Senior Fest activities included a walk, run and ride; special exercise classes led by certified instructors; music and dancing; as well as healthy lifestyle (diet and exercise) presentations by JenCare primary care doctors.
About JenCare:
JenCare Senior Medical Center operates 30 centers in five states (Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Virginia). The company, committed to delivering superior healthcare to Medicare-eligible and dual-eligible seniors, employs outstanding physicians who are empowered to deliver VIP service, to detect and effectively manage high-risk diseases, and to reduce hospital sick days for seniors, many of whom are living with multiple and major chronic conditions. JenCare is part of the ChenMed family of companies, which operates more than 125 centers in 15 states.
About Food for Seniors:
Food for Seniors provides monthly nutritional food boxes to seniors who are 60 years old or older and meet Federal Income Guidelines. Catholic Charities Food for Seniors is the sole agency of Louisiana’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which works to improve the health of low-income elderly persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods.
The program also educates clients about good nutrition by providing nutritional information that includes easy to make recipes using commodity foods, caloric intake, how to stretch food dollars and eat a healthy diet. Catholic Charities’ Food for Seniors is an equal opportunity program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.
Food For Seniors currently holds food box distributions throughout all 64 Louisiana parishes, with more than 40 sites in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. We have more than 400 volunteer sites throughout the State of Louisiana where food is distributed each month. CCANO sites include senior living facilities, senior day care centers and community centers.
SOURCE ChenMed
