LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Government has received $50,000 from The Bufford Family Foundation to deliver food to homebound seniors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Susan and Randy Bufford reached out with the gift as part of their effort to make a positive impact during the pandemic, and in honor of the foundation’s motto, “Helping Others is Always the Right Thing to Do.” The couple each selected several causes to support, with the desire to help more vulnerable seniors receive home-delivered meals rising to the top of Susan’s list.
“Feeding local seniors who perhaps cannot get out is a mission close to my heart,” she said. “Now in this time of the pandemic, it is especially important to help keep our seniors safe and well-nourished. Randy and I are honored on behalf The Bufford Family Foundation to provide this support.”
The donation will cover the cost of weekly deliveries of five frozen meals for up to 500 homebound seniors today through May 31.
Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services – which also operates the city’s Meals on Wheels program, as well as a congregate meal effort before the COVID-19 crisis forced its closure – will administer the new effort, which is being supported by a cross-functional group of Metro employees reassigned during the pandemic.
Masterson’s Catering is preparing the food and dispatching drivers across the city every day to make the deliveries, practicing safety measures, including wearing gloves and observing social distancing.
Referrals of eligible residents for this effort came from a combination of senior service providers, Louisville Metro Council, and individual family members. Basic eligibility criteria include:
- Jefferson County residents aged 60 or over, or the spouse of a person aged 60 or over
- Unable to access a grocery or delivery service due to an illness or an incapacitating disability; and
- Does not have a person in the home able to prepare a nutritious meal on a regular basis
In addition to the donation enabling additional senior meals, The Bufford Family Foundation donated $50,000 to the One Louisville: COVID-19 Response Fund to provide further financial support to households, businesses and nonprofit organization working at the frontlines of Louisville-area coronavirus outbreak.
“I am so appreciative of the generosity of Susan and Randy Bufford,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Their donations allow us to deploy more resources where they are needed the most.”
Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels updates
The city’s Meals on Wheels continues to operate delivering to more than 400 homebound senior clients once per week with a five-frozen meal pack until daily, hot meal delivery can resume. In addition, over 190 pre-certified individuals will be added to the Meals on Wheels home delivery routes over the course of April.
Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition programs are funded, in part, under a contract with KIPDA and the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Louisville Metro Government and private donations from individuals and families.
For more information about the Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services/senior-nutrition-program.
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