11-23-20 Care and Nutrition Update for Wright County Seniors

 

Dear Friends and Partners,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  We have lots to be thankful for….

This is the November 22^nd update of Wright County’s Care and Nutrition Partnership Support for Seniors (60+).  We are starting our 36^th week of response to COVID-19. Wright County Community Action (WCCA) has a support line for seniors; please encourage seniors to call (320) 963-6500 ext. 274.  As a community, we want to help with our most vulnerable neighbors’ challenges, including isolation and the impact that results, assistance with grocery access through education, grocery delivery, senior mobile food shelf needs, frozen meal support, prescription access, and needs like housekeeping, chores, assisted transportation and other logistical issues as they present.

In addition to our work in Wright County, NourishingHOPE is extending frozen meal support just beyond the Wright County Line to the east into Western Hennepin County.  Seniors there in Western Hennepin County can reach out to NourishingHOPE to learn about frozen meal support in their local community.  Communities in Western Hennepin include: Corcoran, Greenfield, Hamel, Hassen, Loretto, Rogers, Delano, Hanover, Maple Plain, Otsego, and Rockford.  For more information about Western Hennepin services, please contact nourishinghope.oflc@gmail.com or call (763) 477-6300. 

Wright County COVID-19 IMPACT

As of November 19^th we have 5,819 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wright County.  This measurement began March 13^th of this year.  The chart below demonstrates the trend of cases since mid-March.  This week we had another exponential surge of 1,379 new confirmed cases identified up from 4,440. L  This represents over a 30% increase in total cases measured since the beginning of the pandemic in just this last week. LLL  The last five weeks we have seen gains of 191, 397, 626, 1083, and now this week 1379 respectively – for our senior’s sake, we want to appeal to you to do what you can to slow this trend down.

 
        Daily COVID-19 cases since Mid-March 2020 

Seniors please be cautious.  On Friday, November 13^th, the single day high peaked again at 260 new cases.  The previous single day high was 207 cases on November 12^th.

                                  November 19, 2020                                                                           November 12, 2020

                                                                                                               

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/52d559cfbe6e4ca39558c9b2f877e144

There are a total of 109 new cases this week for seniors over 70 years of age in Wright County after last week’s gain of 79 for a pandemic total of 439.  This represents a 1/3 increase in new cases for seniors over 70 years of age in just this last week alone. 

       Impact to our oldest residents

1/3 increase since the first day of the pandemic in just one week. LLL   Don’t quit working to protect our seniors.  Because of the sheer number of cases in the County, the number of deaths are rising too.  Our seniors are no doubt the most vulnerable per capita – your actions can make a difference.  As Dr. Lee Warren would say on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast – “Start today!” With cases surging, it is of greatest importance to consider the impact on our oldest residents.  While we need to protect this population, please realize separation and social distancing also has its negative impact on this vulnerable group.  Please share this story so all our seniors know a place to go if they want to confidently check into resources they may need  – also please call the seniors next door or in your town to let them know you care. 

Shout-out to Strategic Partners

In preparation for Thanksgiving week, partners like Trailblazer, Alleluia Church in St. Michael, and NourishingHOPE delivered 2,954 frozen meals this week for a daily average of 591 meals delivered.  These organizations have really stepped up during this crisis to make a difference for our seniors.

Coming up on December 9^th, NourishingHOPE is going to support a Frozen Meal food drop in the areas that NourishingHOPE  partners serve.  In addition to the amazing work they are doing in partnership with Second Harvest, they will drop another 4,500 prepared frozen meals out to local residents.  Please share with us any feedback as to the success of this method of frozen meal delivery.

Our own WCCA Aging Alliance Team did an outstanding job this last week reaching out to all of our active frozen meal clients, making 766 calls to these seniors in the week – just checking in and making sure they have access to the frozen meals, but also other grocery support, transportation assistance, and housekeeping and chore services during the holiday week.  This team has already made over 2,000 calls this month alone and have averaged 2,325 calls per month since August 1^st.

This week’s Untiedt’s Distribution Plan

Looks like there may be a lot of Apple Pie this Thanksgiving!  J🍏🍎🥧 This week Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm offered 445 boxes of produce including Butternut and Buttercup Squash, Red Potatoes, 🍎Zestar Apples, 🍎Fireside Apples, 🍎Keepsake Apples, 🍎Snowsweet Apples, and 🍎Kindercrisps Apples.

The growing and harvest season have drawn to a close and plans are well on their way for next season.  This season over 5,000 cases and 150,000 lbs. of fresh farm produce were offered by Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm. 

 

With the help of the Untiedt’s amazing team, WCCA’s Joel Klaverkamp, Hunger Solutions, Forgotten Harvest, NourishingHOPE’s Network, Twin Cities Rescue, Grace Place and our local Food Shelves we were able to distribute over 3,500 cases of fresh farm produce directly to local individuals and families.  This is over 100,000 lbs. of fresh vegetables and fruit. 

                               With Joel’s support we moved 3,500 cases of produce one box at a time

 

These pictures show quite a contrast at the farm as the growing season comes to an end……

 

 

Next season, we will not only be distributing fresh produce across this partnership network, but we should be in full swing with our canning and freezing operation so that vegetables produced by local farmers can be preserved and shared with local food security network partners.  This year we identified about 1,500 cases offered or 50,000 lbs. of produce at just the Untiedt’s farm that went unused. 

Canning and freezing is a tremendous opportunity to take these resources to the next level.  Just imagine – our seniors and families in need having their favorite vegetables and soup at their fingertips during the Minnesota Winter.

This season, Untiedt’s saved back produce for you (what is currently available is mostly squash, potatoes, and apples).  We currently are still delivering and are stretching this produce as far as it will go.  Please let us know if there are any food security partners that we are not reaching with fresh fruit and vegetables from Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm.  Please forward this email to them or give them our contact information.

If you or a potential partner would like to help expand this resource to our seniors expressly on Highway 12, please consider donating to the “COVID-19 Food” fund at the Delano Loretto Area United Way:

Write a check to:  Delano Loretto Area United Way

In the memo line, write: “COVID-19 Food.”

Mail to:             P.O. Box 578

Delano, MN 55328

Or visit the Delano Loretto Area United Way Website http://www.delanolorettouw.org/ and click “Donate” -- donations via credit card or PayPal (click on “write a note”, write “COVID-19 Food”)

If you want to target expansion of frozen meal delivery in other parts of Wright County including the Highway 55 corridor and I-94 corridor, please consider donating to the “COVID-19 Food” fund at Wright County Community Action: 

Write a check to:  Wright County Community Action

In the memo line, write: “COVID-19 Food.”

Mail to:             P.O. Box 787

Maple Lake, MN  55358

Or visit the Wright County Community Action Agency Website (dedicate to:  “COVID-19 Food”)  https://www.wccaweb.com

The entire community of Wright County is in this together! (see current partner list below)

Please forward this email to potential partners!

Thankful,

Jay Weatherford

WCCA Executive Director

 

For more information for Wright County senior support services:

https://www.wccaweb.com/Home/Index  (click current programs)

or

email:  agingservices@wccaweb.com

or call:

(320) 963-6500 Ext 274 – Aging Program Manager - Eric Nagel

(320) 963-6500 Ext 241 – Dispatch

1-800-333-2433 – Senior LinkAge Line

Delivered Frozen Meal Program(s) – WCCA at (320) 963-6500 Ext 274  or Catholic Charities Meals on Wheels program located in Maple Lake: (320) 963-5771,  Annandale:  (320) 274-3891  and Buffalo:  (763) 682-6036     

To volunteer:

Contact (320) 963-6500 Ext. 225 –– Jen Liebeck jliebeck@wccaweb.com

Or enroll on Website: https://www.wccaweb.com/Home/Volunteer

New Partner and First Time Reader Overview

Farmers: food shelfs and senior programs can use your support.  Please share this email with your Wright County  farmer friends potentially able to contribute, or other Food Security Partners that could use this produce to support their efforts.  For large donations, WCCA will use its resources to make distributions happen.  Again, going forward we hope to expand this list of local food security recipients that could use fresh vegetables when they become available. If you are serving local individuals at no cost and would like to be included in this potential fresh vegetable distribution opportunity, please email me a cell phone number to text.  When an opportunity arises, a rapid response will be needed.  Based on a first come first serve distribution and availability, Wright County Community Action will do our best to share these resources as they come in and deliver them to partner locations.

Partner support 

·        Second Harvest – free and reduced cost bulk raw food products for frozen meal production.

·        Delano Coburn’s – weekly food rescue makes a tremendous impact on food security resources.

·        Local Farmers – Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm and Dechene Corporation of Big Lake Minnesota – contributing produce for senior meal support and local food security needs.

·        Waverly Café - ingenuity and giving spirit including their PPP loan directed at paying their staff to produce senior meals, catering expertise, and use of their commercial kitchen.

·        Catholic Charities partially funded by Central MN Council on Aging – frozen meals contribution and Meals-on-Wheels referral partner.

·        Cargill – breakfast meals.

·        J&B Group – bulk warehouse freezer storage including bulk prepared meal storage and bulk raw food storage; not to mention helping us resolve logistical issues, as well as supplying a really great box with the outcome of providing so many solutions to challenges we have faced in our production process.

·        Buffalo Crossings LLC, owner of Oriental Buffet in Buffalo – commercial walk-in freezer, commercial walk-in cooler, and commercial kitchen to pack and store senior meals.

·        Local Food Shelves - local frozen meal and bulk food storage, as well as senior services registration (Annandale Food Shelf, Buffalo Food Shelf, Monticello Help Center, and Waverly Food Shelf).

·        Trailblazer – daily volunteer based County-wide local meal delivery.

·        Delano Senior Center – senior services application fulfillment and frozen meal distribution, as well as Meals-on-Wheels referral partner.

·        NourshingHOPE – senior services applications fulfillment, frozen meal distribution, and produce distributions. 

·        Wright County Human Services/Public Health – volunteer recruitment support, data support, instructional materials design, and logistics support.

·        St. Cloud Refrigeration – emergency air conditioning for the Waverly Café kitchen.

·        Electrical Workers Union, IBEW Local 292 – brought to the partnership Olympia Tech Electric to support new electrical service needed at Waverly Café

·        Olympia Tech Electric – installing new electrical services at Waverly Café needed for additional freezer capacity

·        Local Lions Clubs – local community freezer development and contributions to the cost of frozen meals (Waverly, Montrose, Howard Lake, Maple Lake, Loretto, and Monticello).

·        Local Municipalities – local freezer storage funding support (City of Waverly, City of Montrose, City of Howard Lake).

·        Health Care Partners – Allina Health (financial support)

·        Other Local Corporations – Citizen State Bank of Waverly (freezer funding support), HWY 55 Trailer Sales of Buffalo, and Walgreens (shopping bags).

·        Local Faith-based organizations – many very giving churches for many years have been active in financial support for food security across Wright County (too many to mention them all – but you know who you are) . – in addition, Love INC, St Mary’s Catholic Church, Alleluia Lutheran, Our Father’s Lutheran, St. John’s Lutheran, North Ridge Fellowship Small Group and friends, Montrose United Methodist Church have provide support for senior call center activity, B.R.E.A.D program outreach, volunteer administrative services, food security, food preparation, and meal and food storage - access and delivery.

·        Initiative Foundations, Delano Loretto Area United Way, Wright County Area United Way, Mardag Foundation, and St Paul and Minnesota Foundations including funding for COVID-19 direct response, Catchafire membership, and B.R.E.A.D. program funding.

·        State Live Well at Home Funding and Federal Title III funding support administered by the Minnesota Board on Aging and Central Minnesota Council on Aging.

·        Wholesale purchase of recyclable meal trays.

·        Oliver Equipment Lease for the required equipment to seal the senior meal trays.

·        AMI Group and IDA Foods – access to airline meal vendors adding senior meal production capacity and contingency support.  This opportunity to purchase over stock of first-class airline meals due to drop in air travel and our partners sharing their relationships.

·        Tireless WCCA Staff support from multiple programs working to braid any allowable resource to make a difference for our seniors.

·        Countless community volunteers - everything from administrative services support, logistics and storage coordination, bulk food and materials transport, senior transportation, local meal delivery, meal packing, senior call center activity, PPE production and product support, volunteer coordination, food rescue, and so many more details where you fill the gap  (you too, know who you are – we are so grateful for your courage and willingness to step forward to meet needs).

Call to Action

There is still much more opportunity for local corporate and civic partners to get involved.  It’s simple solutions like packing meals in the Walgreens shopping bags or storing bulk meals or protein on the warehouse freezer floor at J&B Group that have made all the difference.  Given the chance there are many incredible businesses that have unique resources, relationships, buying power, and experience.   We really hope to find more corporate partners willing to leverage their earned knowledge and distinctive talents to improve this support for our seniors during the pandemic.   Leveraging what they do best including their marketing, buying power, and connections brings together powerful partners.  When we put our heads together, we dig up unique ways like those mentioned briefly above.  These often come from you readers.  So please share this email with your friend, neighbor, or corporate partner so that this story can be told, and those big thinkers out there have the opportunity to step forward and do what they do best. 

Its leaders like Waverly Café, J&B Group, Cargill, St. Cloud Refrigeration, Buffalo Crossing, and Untiedt Vegetable Farm that are showing us ways for other corporate partners to leverage their buying power, innovation, and economy of scale that will most likely take this delivery system to the next level.  We need you thinkers to help refine our process as a community, interested in protecting our most vulnerable population by leveraging their lessons learned; those lessons that have brought your businesses to the success they are today.  Share this message with your friends: during the same years that many of your companies were established and being built to thrive, the people we are trying to protect were your customers.  This might be a great opportunity to now give back to the ones who supported you and help them thrive. 

We need to refine solutions in local communities for freezer storage, access to bulk buying, shared and efficient transportation opportunities, HR teams organizing volunteers to support local distribution in their community, corporate giving through community investment and matching.  We need volunteered ingenuity from our bankers and other corporate partners that  can bring their experience to this effort to shore up and produce a stronger, even more sustainable model than we have today.  It is partners with their buying power, innovation, and economy of scale that are now needed to continue to refine our process.  There is still local ingenuity to leverage in this crisis seeking local solutions that will only enhance, extend, and sustain the investment of the federal and state agencies.