The coronavirus isn’t stopping the Nassau County Council from taking care of the older community. They have an army of volunteers delivering free meals to seniors throughout the entire county.
Christy Hickey is volunteering with the Nassau County Council on Aging’s “boots on the ground” campaign to deliver free meals to seniors in Nassau county.
“We’re supposed to help each other in times of need, and a lot of people are staying home because of the order,” said Hickey.
Every two weeks the council receives 6,000 state-approved meals, stored in a giant freezer truck, to feed the older community.
Janice Ancrum is the president and CEO of the council. She came up with the idea because “if not us then who? This is what we do,” adding, “we are the safety net for seniors in Nassau County.”
Meals are all donated by local groups and national corporations including the Nassau County Board of Commissioners, Bank of America, First Coast Relief Fund and Florida Blue.
Anyone 60 years and older in the county can sign.
“You don’t qualify by income. This isn’t a socio-economic issue, it’s a community issue,” said Ancrum.
For safety, volunteers drop meals off at the recipient’s door and step away while the person picks it up.
For the more than 600 seniors in Nassau County fed, it’s more than a meal, “It’s reassurance, it’s letting them know that we’re here for them,” said Hickey.
With many seniors experiencing fear and anxiety from COVID-19, the “boots on the ground” campaign creates a sense of comfort and security.
Without knowing how long the pandemic will last, the council is ready to go back to the drawing board to make sure they can keep delivering meals.
To sign up for a week of free meals at a time, contact the Nassau County Council on Aging at 904-261-0701 with your name, address, phone number, and birth date.
To donate, you can visit their website here.