During the pandemic, KleinLife has stepped up to the challenge of feeding its senior community to ensure that the most vulnerable to COVID-19 would still receive proper nutrition. Since the center ceased its daily operation for seniors back in March, which included its congregant meals program, it has experienced a substantial increase in demand for home-delivered meals.
Meals On Wheels America, the lead organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger, has distributed $18.3 million in emergency funding to local senior nutrition providers actively responding to the evolving COVID-19 crisis across the country. KleinLife has been recognized as one of these providers and received $75,000 from Meals on Wheels America through their COVID-19 Response Fund.
“With millions of Americans being urged to remain at home, we are experiencing a new wave of homebound seniors who may not know from where their next meal will come from,” says Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals On Wheels America. “Local Meals on Wheels programs are uniquely positioned to reach these at-risk individuals and are working tirelessly to adapt to the rapidly evolving situation, delivering meals safely and responding to an unprecedented increase in need.”
"We are most grateful and truly appreciative of this generous donation from Meals On Wheels America to help continue to fund our food program for our seniors.” -Andre Krug, KleinLife's President and CEO
In making the announcement, Andre Krug, President and CEO of KleinLife, says that the funds will be used to purchase additional resources for the Home Delivered Meals Program which it runs in coordination with RSVP Philadelphia. The Home Delivered Meals Program provides 70,000 meals annually to homebound seniors in Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties who cannot shop or cook for themselves. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have added close to 300 seniors to our Home Delivered Meals Program, now serving over 600 clients. We are most grateful and truly appreciative of this generous donation from Meals On Wheels America to help continue to fund our food program for our seniors.,” Krug states.