Food For Seniors is available, but COVID has cut numbers

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

“Merry Christmas, see you next month!” Renelda Varnado said repeatedly Dec. 4 as seniors waited their turn in car lines for their monthly food box provided by Catholic Charities’ Food for Seniors program. 

Varnado, a longtime employee of Food for Seniors, ran from line to line to register new clients in need of food.

As early as 6:30 a.m., cars were lining up 16 deep in four separate lanes, awaiting a 6:45 distribution start. 

“It’s very important to receive this food,” said Michael Spano, who proudly showed off the St. Anthony of Padua medal he was wearing while seated in his truck. Spano said he has diabetes and is on disability due to his health. 

Linda Waguespack, a parishioner from St. Benilde Parish in Metairie who has received provisions from Food for Seniors for years, was equally thankful for her box of food.

“I especially enjoy the cheese,” she said.

Enrollment is easy
Food for Seniors, an agency of the Louisiana Commodity Supplemental Food Program, remains an important source of senior nutrition statewide during the pandemic. 

The agency distributes food boxes at Zephyrs Field, 6000 Airline Drive in Metairie, every first Friday of the month from 7-10 a.m. Each box contains a mixture of canned meat (boneless chicken, beef, pork, tuna); vegetables; fruit; a box of cereal or grits or oatmeal; a two-pound block of American cheese and two-pound pack of spaghetti, macaroni or rice; shelf-stable 1% milk; nonfat dry milk every other month; a jar of peanut butter or two-pound bag of beans; and fruit juice. 

To receive the box, registered Food for Seniors recipients present their pink registration card with their name on it at the distribution. Those 60 or older who haven’t registered for a pink card, but might have heard about the program, can register onsite or call ahead to sign up and learn of distribution sites for their zip code and benefits at (504) 242-7207 or 1 (800) 522-3333. Catholic Charities can also help seniors in need sign up for food stamps and other programs.

Tim Robertson, program director, said the pandemic has caused the number of recipients in November to plummet. Only  425 showed up at Zephyrs Field compared to 1,200-1,300 people receiving boxes a year ago.

In December, the number rebounded to 739.

“We try to emphasize that our program is a supplement (to other food programs). It is not intended to last a whole month,” he said. 

Currently, slightly more than 51,000 seniors statewide are served monthly, Robertson said.

Fear of virus has cut numbers
He said the pandemic has stopped some seniors from collecting their food boxes for fear of being exposed to the virus if they leave home. Other drags on participation are lack of transportation and multiple hurricanes forcing the closure of several distribution sites, including those run by the Council on Aging sites. Some community action organizations also have closed during the pandemic.

Robertson noted that Beauregard Parish shut down all distribution sites due to the pandemic and hurricanes.

“There is some fear about being out and being exposed to COVID-19,” he said. “We’ve had situations where the sheriff’s departments have played a great role in handling boxes. Even that has been cut back.”

Adapting to the situation, Food for Seniors allows seniors to use a permission note for someone else to pick up their food box, Robertson said.

Additional distribution sites
Food for Seniors also has opened its warehouse at 7649 Townsend Place in New Orleans as a distribution site weekdays from 8 a.m.-noon. Permanent sites for senior food pick up include Our Lady Star of the Sea, 1927 St. Roch Ave., New Orleans, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-noon, from the 1st-25th of the month; and the West Bank Commodity Center, 1245 First St., Harvey, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and Wednesday from noon-5 p.m. 

Hopes for expanded access
Robertson said he’s considering other modifications to senior food distribution to make sure everyone who is eligible gets this food.

He’s happy to talk to any organization, volunteers or locations that receive and distribute food for suggestions to reach more seniors –  whether it’s in a distribution site parking lot or even shipping food (without the cheese, so refrigeration isn’t needed). In fact, a new monthly distribution site opened in November at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Lacombe.

“We’re trying to find out what programs in other states are doing,” he said. “We’re trying to explore other service models like home delivery to get food boxes to seniors. 

“We’ve worked with PACE drivers, on a limited basis, to distribute food. We have identified zip codes and look at people who haven’t been (picking up) in awhile and find out why. We’re trying to do the same thing at Zephyrs Field. You have to keep your nose to the grindstone and keep plugging away.”

“You just have to try to be available so people have some way to get to us,” he said about distribution. “It’s time we try to push forward to find some models to deal with the transportation issues seniors have.”

In another row of cars, Edwin Cipio, a Catholic Charities’ Food for Seniors worker for 26 years, gave a big grin and shouted Merry Christmas to seniors.

“I love dealing with the seniors, helping them out when I can,” Cipio said. “God is good. One day, we are going to be that age and know we can get the help we are giving out today.”

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