Catholic Health Joins FeedMore WNY’s Adopt-a-Route Program
Since its founding more than 50 years ago, FeedMore WNY’s Meals on Wheels program has been focused on serving elderly and homebound individuals in our community by offering nutritious meals and a friendly visit. With a similar mission to serve those in need, Catholic Health announced today that it will be participating in FeedMore WNY’s “Adopt-a-Route” program with its associates volunteering to deliver meals to residents on Buffalo’s West Side.
FeedMore WNY’s Adopt-a-Route Program
Each weekday, FeedMore WNY prepares and delivers meals to more than 2,000 neighbors. “We are incredibly grateful to Catholic Health and their associates for adopting two of our home-delivered meal routes to help us feed our aging, homebound community members. FeedMore WNY’s dedicated, compassionate volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization. We rely on thousands of dedicated volunteers to deliver nutritious meals and a warm smile to our homebound neighbors in need. As our population ages and the need in our community grows, so does our need for more volunteers,” Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY, said. “The Adopt-A-Route program helps expand our volunteer base by tailoring service opportunities to fit the needs of working individuals so organizations like Catholic Health, and their associates, can give back to the community.”
Each year, billions of dollars are spent on treating illness related to the lack of adequate or nutritious food. Serving the healthcare needs of the poor and vulnerable throughout Western New York, Catholic Health providers see this problem firsthand.
“Every day, in our hospitals, primary care centers and in patient’s homes, we see how the lack of access to nutritious foods or inability to prepare meals can impact a person’s health,” said Joyce Markiewicz, Chief Business Development Officer for Catholic Health. “Working with FeedMore WNY, we can really make a difference, ensuring that our elderly and homebound neighbors get the meals they need to maintain their independence.”
Delivering Meals to Residents on Buffalo’s West Side
As part of the Adopt-a-Route Program, 20 Catholic Health associates, who work at the system’s downtown Buffalo headquarters, will take turns delivering meals one day a week during their lunch hour. The volunteers will deliver meals on two designated routes near FeedMore WNY’s Summer St. Distribution Center.
“We chose the West Side of Buffalo for our routes because it complements the work we are doing in the surrounding community as part of a new primary care center we are developing in conjunction with D’Youville College’s Health Hub,” explained Markiewicz. “Expanding primary care services and access to healthy food go hand-in-hand in helping to improve the health of the community. We thank our associates for stepping up to become FeedMore WNY volunteers and supporting this worthwhile program.”
For more information on FeedMore WNY’s “Adopt-a-Route” Program visit feedmorewny.org.
