Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Mo. expanding Food & Nutrition Services

Working with USDA program to serve senior citizens facing hunger in Cole County

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Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri (CCCNMO) is expanding its Food & Nutrition Services Program through the distribution of senior food boxes to Cole County seniors in need.

This Catholic Charities’ effort is made possible through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a partner agency of The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

CCCNMO staff started in May serving 20 seniors. Thanks to a partnership made with the Jefferson City Housing Authority, there are now more than 100 seniors planning to receive a senior food box in August.

“Our goal is to sign up all eligible seniors living in Cole County by the end of 2020,” stated Judith Mutamba, director of Food & Nutrition Services for Catholic Charities.

Furthermore, with CCCNMO’s partnership with Helias Catholic High School, high-school students are able to receive volunteer hour credit while helping distribute the boxes to the seniors.

Rebecca Jennings, in her role as Nutrition Education AmeriCorps Member, works with Catholic Charities to help foster the growth of the Food & Nutrition Program through the senior food boxes, as well as through providing nutrition education.

“Going forward, we are contacting faith-based organizations, senior centers, and other food assistance programs to help increase the numbers of seniors served,” Ms. Jennings said.

One of these key partners is Immaculate Conception parish in Jefferson City, which has provided volunteers who are committed to helping seniors in Cole County receive senior food boxes.

Parish partnership

By distributing the senior food boxes to the recipients’ homes, Catholic Charities is able to engage in the safest practices with contactless deliveries and better serve this at-risk population during these difficult times.

Therese Miller, chairwoman of Immaculate Conception parish’s social concerns commission and disaster response team, was the lead in getting the parish involved in this program.

“It has been our parish’s pleasure to work with Rebecca and her team in contacting and supporting seniors in our community during this challenging time,” she stated.

Healthy knowledge

Ms. Jennings has increased her efforts to better serve mid-Missourians through her completion of training of the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Life evidence-based nutrition education program.

Additionally, she is using her master’s degree in dietetics and the Healthy for Life program to educate individuals on topics like Tasty, Affordable Meals for Busy Families; Food Label Smarts; and Eating for a Stronger, Healthier You.

“While COVID-19 has limited my ability to share this education with others in person, I am still strongly committed to bringing this knowledge to those who desire it in whatever acceptable medium that is,” she said.

She plans eventually to be able to provide this education in a community classroom at Catholic Charities’ future home in the former La Salette chapel/gymnasium, recently known as Shikles Center.

CCCNMO hopes to complete renovations on that space by the end of 2021.

Catholic Charities has also established a Food & Nutrition Services fund to feed and provide health interventions to at-risk mid-Missourians.

For those interested in supporting these efforts, checks may be made payable to CCCNMO, and mailed to P.O. Box 104626 Jefferson City, MO 65110 or donate online at cccnmo.diojeffcity.org/give.

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