The Bunker Hill Associates mobilized and delivered on a major effort Tuesday that placed grocery orders in 250 senior citizen homes, hitting the neediest seniors in several buildings around the Town.
President Maureen Collier, Vice President Jimmy Lister and Past President Kim Mahoney reported on Tuesday that the first delivery of groceries hit 250 homes and went very well.
They delivered primarily to St. Mary’s Co-op, Park Street, Mary Colbert Apartments, Ferrin Street apartments, and the General Warren Apartments, among others.
“We got some really positive feedback right away,” said Lister. “My concern in going ahead with the first delivery was whether people would like it, whether we bought the right things and in the right quantities. We are certainly going to have to grow this in the coming weeks. It was well received.”
Mahoney said they understand the need is great, but they wanted to focus on the neediest senior citizens first.
“This is putting a small dent in the overall need, but it how we can help,” she said. “We’re going to do our best and try. Our priority was to get this to people who really needed it. The coordinators in each building determined who was most in need, and they distributed what we dropped off.”
Two weeks ago, the Associates bought $4,000 worth of gift cards to local restaurants and initiated their first online raffle at rallyup.com. People have gone online in droves to donate to the raffle, which directly funds the senior citizen grocery effort. The raffle will be drawn online April 24 at 1 p.m., but right now the need for more donations is great so that a second round of groceries can be purchased.
Lister elicited the help of Baldor Foods in Chelsea through a contact that lives in Charlestown. Through that wholesaler, they were able to order large quantities of food and have it dropped off by truck in Charlestown. From there, volunteers from the Age Strong Commission, the Kennedy Center and other local groups got the food to the proper places.
“The only way to continue on is with more funding at the online raffle,” said Lister. “If we can be a generous with the raffle, it can help so many seniors. We have a system in place now that works and has been tested. We believe we can do it again much easier and probably be able to get better pricing too.”
Some of the things delivered included break, milk, peanut butter, English muffins, crackers, pasta, string cheese and lots of fruit. Most of those who received the deliveries also get Meals on Wheels delivered daily, but Lister said these are senior citizens who cannot go out – and should not go out – to grocery shop.
“All of the people in Charlestown should have the ability to have a full fridge while this is going on, and the deliveries will fill the gaps for them so they don’t have to go out,” he said.
To find out more about the grocery effort, residents of large senior buildings are encouraged to talk to their building advocates. To buy a raffle ticket online for the effort, go tohttps://go.rallyup.com/bunkerhillassociates.