MANASSAS, Va. – The House of Mercy, a nonprofit humanitarian organization located in Manassas, has announced that it is starting a new initiative to help feed local seniors in need.
“This is an underserved population which we plan to do more to reach and help,” said House of Mercy Assistant Director Ann Cimini, who described those lacking adequate food, consistently or at times throughout the year, as “food insecure.”
“Food insecure seniors don’t reach out for help generally, and the reason is they’re often ashamed. Also, many seniors grew up during the Great Depression, when asking for help wasn’t something that people do,” she said. “So we plan to reach out to them.”
As part of stepping up its outreach to the elderly in need, House of Mercy is contacting local and national nonprofit organizations that help that segment of the population, Cimini said.
She also encourages representatives of senior-focused nonprofit groups and other organizations interested in becoming involved to contact her.
“Any agency or business that would like to partner with us in our effort is welcome to call or email me to discuss ways we can work together to help put more food on the tables of food insecure seniors in our area as well as elsewhere,” she said.
The House of Mercy already provides free food to those in need, including local seniors, from the organization’s food pantry, which Cimini said is maintained through donations.
Additionally, “I visit two senior apartment complexes twice a month, to encourage residents to sign up for our services, to let the folks know of volunteering opportunities we have and to take SHARE food orders,” she added. “I am working with the resident services coordinator at the low-income apartment to ensure that people who need help are getting it.”
SHARE (Self Help And Resource Exchange) is a nonprofit community-building food network that House of Mercy joined in January. Through its partnership with SHARE, the organization offers packages of fresh produce and frozen meat and vegetables at low cost to area residents and at no profit to House of Mercy, Cimini said.
“In addition to local families, the SHARE program can be targeted to seniors who have a need for this type of service,” she said.
Through its partnership with Capital Area Food Bank™ (CAFB), House of Mercy is also affiliated with Feeding America®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. CAFB feeds the hungry in the Washington, D.C., area by acquiring and distributing food through its network of partner agencies, which include House of Mercy.
Feeding America serves nearly three million elderly persons each year, based on statistics from the organization, which also cites figures stating that the number of older adults is projected to increase by 36 percent over the next decade and continue to rise in the following decade.
The senior population is becoming increasingly diverse as well, based on information from Feeding America.
These changing demographics will have “profound impacts on the demand for social services, especially the need for adequate and culturally appropriate nutrition services,” according to Feeding America.
“And seniors may have unique nutritional needs and challenges that separate them from the rest of the population, according to Feeding America,” Cimini said. “So we want to be ready now in reaching out to this part of our local population and do everything we can to help them.”
For more information about House of Mercy, its services and how to help, call 703-659-1636 or visit www.houseofmercyva.org. To contact Cimini, email help@houseofmercyva.org.
