Kelly Burroughs and Jody Laibstain
Jewish Family Service’s Home Delivered Meals program is a continuum of the organization’s food service programs. Geared to older and disabled adults throughout Virginia Beach who qualify, a steadfast group of volunteers has been supporting the delivery of these meals for years. Sometimes, the delivery volunteer is the only friendly visitor the client has all week.
For years, JFS contracted with Beth Sholom Village to prepare the meals. When Beth Sholom sold the former College Park Campus, they endeavored to continue the meal preparation through the new vendor, Maimonides. According to BSV’s David Abraham, the costs of the service began to outweigh the amount of reimbursement, and the program was discontinued through Beth Sholom and Maimonides.
JFS, however, chose to continue to provide Home Delivered Meals and sought a new vendor, selecting The Neighborhood Harvest for a new partnership.
“The JFS Home Delivered Meals Program makes such a positive impact on so many people in our community and is just one of the many areas that JFS is committed to in caring for others,” says John Stein of the Neighborhood Harvest.
“The Neighborhood Harvest is thrilled about partnering with JFS to provide chef-prepared and nutritionist-approved healthy meals, hand-made locally with fresh ingredients right here in Virginia Beach. With a focus on nutrition, we are very excited about this opportunity to serve alongside JFS!” he says.
JFS receives funding from a grant by Senior Services of Southeast Virginia, individual contributions, and United Jewish Federation of Tidewater to help support the Home Delivered Meals Program.