LeMoyne Community Center launches Senior Necessity Bags program
The LeMoyne Community Center in Washington has launched a Senior Necessity Bags program to support local older adults.
The bags, distributed biweekly, provide non-perishable food, household products, and personal care items to those 65 years of age and older in local senior living centers.
The program launched in late September, and the community center staff and volunteers have packed and distributed an estimated 700 bags to help bridge the gap for seniors living on fixed incomes who often struggle to afford basic staples.
“We’ve got to make sure we take care of our seniors,” said program director Patricia Robinson. “The program’s been going really well since it started. We’ve heard people say they’re glad we’re here because for many of them, it was a choice between paying for food or paying for medication and other essential items. With SNAP cuts and rising living costs, it’s hard.”
Each necessity bag contains everyday items such as paper towels, dish soap, compression socks, toothpaste, deodorant, protein shakes, and household cleaners. The program is funded entirely through donations from business and corporations and in-kind donations.
Recent delivery stops have included 138 bags dropped off at Thomas Campbell Apartments, Century Plaza, Bellmead Apartments, HaveLoch Commons, Heritage House, Washington Arbors, Canon Senior Loft, and Bassettown Apartments.
By bringing the items directly to the apartment complexes, the program eliminates transportation barriers for older residents who may have difficulty traveling to local food pantries or retail stores, Robinson said.
The LeMoyne Community Center, which uplifts and supports underserved neighbors in the Washington area, is best known for its youth programming and its monthly community food pantry held in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. It also operates the Community Mobile Feed, a mobile food distribution initiative designed to combat food insecurity and deliver healthy groceries directly to local neighborhoods.
The Senior Necessity Bags project expands that safety net, specifically for the region’s aging population.
Managers of senior living communities in the Washington County area who would like to add their facility to future delivery routes — as well as community members or businesses interested in sponsoring bags — can contact Robinson at LeMoyne Community Center at 724-228-0260.