Alpert Jewish Community Center serves seniors in need throughout the pandemic

A tiny assemblage outreach effort carried retired by the Alpert Jewish Community Center during the aboriginal months of the coronavirus pandemic has evolved into a increasing effort meant to assistance elder residents facing nutrient insecurity successful Long Beach and neighboring cities.

“Prior to the pandemic, portion of our established programming for seniors (was) a play escaped repast served connected Wednesdays,” Susan Paletz, Alpert JCC’s manager of development, said successful a statement. “Typically, we served meals to astir 90 radical each week astatine the Weinberg Campus. When they couldn’t travel to us, we assembled a squad of volunteers to present meals instead.”

The Alpert JCC has continued to service residents for the past 15 months, upping the fig of delivered meals to 165 seniors each week, with astir 7,000 meals served full during that time. A squad of 25 of volunteers has continued delivering meals to areas crossed Long Beach, Seal Beach, Cypress and Garden Grove.

“We don’t inquire for immoderate qualifications and they bash not request to beryllium Jewish,” Paletz said. “We are determined that our elder big assemblage volition not beryllium isolated oregon endure from nutrient insecurity. Each week those who person signed up person a blistery repast and a sojourn from a affable volunteer.

“It’s that simple,” she added.

And that cognition wasn’t carried retired alone.

Jewish Long Beach, SCAN, Long Beach MemorialCare and The Grand lawsuit halfway person each aided the Alpert JCC successful providing lukewarm meals escaped of complaint to section seniors successful need. Through the combined radical effort, elder residents person besides been offered virtual fittingness and recreational classes, and movie and publication groups.

“Those receiving the meals are highly appreciative and look guardant to the visit,” Paletz said. “One man who lives successful Downtown Long Beach sends america a dollar each week with a enactment that this is the champion repast helium eats each week.”

The outgo of each repast is $7, according to the Alpert JCC, and the enactment is seeking donations to enactment the endeavor. The center’s Long Beach Gives campaign, acceptable for Sept. 23, volition money the program’s continuation.

Those who privation to donate tin sojourn alpertjcc.org.

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