The United Way Elgin Middlesex has given four local agencies a $120,000 boost to help low-income seniors struggling with loneliness and a lack of food amid the coronavirus crisis.
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Elgin, CMHA Middlesex, Cheshire London, and VON Middlesex-Elgin will each get a portion of the funds to meet the urgent needs of those 55 and older living in poverty across the region.
“As we care for our families and those closest to us, we see many seniors in our community who don’t have a support system around them,” said Kelly Ziegner, president and CEO of United Way Elgin Middlesex. “Today’s funding will help ensure that the most vulnerable do not get pushed further into the margins during this crisis."
Cheshire London and VON Middlesex-Elgin will split $110,000 to provide isolated seniors with grocery delivery, prepared meals, and transportation. The remaining $10,000 is going to CMHA for the immediate launch of the 'Friendly Callers – Senior Support Program.' The call line will connect seniors cutoff from the outside world due to the pandemic with weekly phone interactions with volunteers and virtual social and recreation programming. The agency's support line has seen a 43 per cent increase in calls, predominantly from the elderly over the past two months.
“The pandemic has been especially hard on seniors, many of whom are isolated from family and friends,” said Lori Hassall, director of crisis and short-term interventions at CMHA Middlesex. “Social connection is the antidote to loneliness.”
The money, from the federal government's New Horizons for Seniors Program, is being distributed through the United Way's Local Love in a Global Crisis community response fund. In an effort to address urgent needs due to COVID-19, the United Way established the community response fund in March.
Last month a combined $167,540 from the fund was doled out to 11 agencies in the London region to address urgent basic needs, minimize social isolation, and to provide technology and staff training for new digital service delivery.