Keeping It Kosher: Space Available in Kosher Meals on Wheels Program!

This blog post is part of our series for Older Americans Month in May. We receive funding from the Older Americans Act for our Kosher Meals on Wheels program.

JFS currently has room in its Kosher Meals on Wheels (KMOW) program for more seniors to receive kosher meals delivered to their homes. To receive meals, an individual must be at least 60 years old and assessed as homebound. He or she must be Jewish or have a spiritual need to receive kosher food. There is no cost to receive meals, but an optional monthly donation is appreciated.

A hot meal is delivered Monday through Friday and special meals are delivered prior to Jewish holidays, such as Passover and the High Holy Days. Clients get nonfat dry milk powder twice per month and a small emergency box of shelf-stable items in the fall. If JFS will be closed for a holiday, a frozen meal is pre-delivered. Each meal consists of a cup of soup, entrée and sides, such as vegetables, fruits, and breads, which are needed to provide at least one-third of the recommended daily nutrients for older adults.

However, this program is about so much more than food; it is also about reducing social isolation and increasing peace of mind. Buffy Fox, JFS care manager and KMOW coordinator, says, “The participants like that someone [the driver] comes to their home every day and that they have someone to talk to. There is also the comfort of knowing that someone is checking on them and that there is a support system in place. Many clients develop a personal relationship with the driver and look forward to their daily visits.”

One KMOW recipient, says, “My driver is wonderful. I love seeing her smile every day. She really cares how I am doing and always helps if I need it.”

Also, KMOW has an important safety component. The driver can’t leave the meal outside; he or she must deliver it to the client personally. If the client doesn’t answer, the driver calls the emergency contact. “In most cases, the senior doesn’t answer because he or she is asleep,” says Buffy. “However, we have had a few cases where someone had fallen and our driver was able to help.”

A spousal caregiver of her wheelchair-bound husband says the KMOW program “takes away the stress. Especially when we have a hard day getting him showered and dressed and ready to go, it’s nice to know I don’t have to make lunch, too.”

Those who are not assessed as homebound but need kosher meals and want to socialize with other seniors, can go to the Volunteers of America (VOA) kosher lunch program each weekday at 11:45 a.m. at the JCC for a recommended donation of $2.50.

This program is a collaboration among Volunteers of America (VOA), Jewish Family Service (JFS), Shalom Cares, and JEWISHcolorado.

For more information or to sign up for Kosher Meals on Wheels, please contact Buffy Sophinos at 720.248.4665.
-Alaina Green, JFS Marketing Department