EAGLE, Idaho — The Eagle Kiwanis Club has a special partnership with the Eagle Community Food Bank. Twice a month, they bring food to the seniors living in affordable housing in the area. The seniors said it helps them immensely with food insecurity.
This Christmas, the Kiwanis volunteers made sure to remember those vulnerable seniors for the holidays. Lisa Lavin, the president of the Eagle Community Food Bank said it is so important all year along, but especially during the Christmas season.
"We are preparing food boxes, the Eagle Kiwanis are here with us, and we will be taking them to the seniors at Mercy housing," said Lisa Lavin, Eagle Community Foodbank President.
Mercy Housing is a nonprofit that provides affordable, low-income housing for seniors in Eagle and Boise. Each holiday food box is packed with love.
"We've put some holiday meal items along with some basic necessities," Lavin said. "We've got your green beans and corn, your sweet potatoes, your gravy to go with the turkeys, there's some butter, some rolls. Everything is donated, and we are an entirely 100% independent food bank so everything comes from businesses, churches, individuals, we also get some funding from Albertsons."
Lavin said there are more senior citizens in need in Eagle than ever before. This is the third year in a row that the seniors at Mercy Housing have received the holiday boxes.
"Seniors are about 40 percent of the people we support, so they are very important to us and we want to make sure they are taken care of," she said. "We have definitely seen an increase in need, especially in terms of the seniors, we've seen a 63% increase in the last two years in the number of seniors that need help. In November, we helped over 240 seniors get the food they need."
Ellie Griffin is the resident services coordinator for Mercy Housing.
"Today, we are going to Sisters Villa and Eagle Senior Village to drop off food," Griffin said. "I have 73 residents here in Eagle between Sisters Villa and Eagle Senior Village, and I have 55 residents in Boise at 12th and River that are all Mercy Housing properties,"
Griffin said the residents are so grateful for the help from the Eagle Kiwanis and the food bank.
"They are so happy and so appreciative, you know many of them can't get out to go to the grocery stores or have family that come, so it's something that they look forward to every year," Griffin said. "To see the smiles on their faces and the joy that something as simple as a meal can bring to them, makes all the hard work of getting the community together to do this worth it, it's so rewarding."
The food boxes will ensure that these seniors have all the comforts of a holiday meal, and many of them will celebrate together.
Lisa Lavin said volunteers make it all happen.
"Oh it's wonderful, we have so many people who want to help, everyone wants to reach out and do their part," Lavin said. "We wouldn't be able to do it without the generosity of the people in our community."
To donate to the Eagle Community Food Bank, click here.
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