20 years of the Chocolate Celebration

May 4—As vice president of Terrace Tower residents, Willie White tries to keep a steady calendar of events for his neighbors. In addition, several of his responsibilities include making sure his neighbors are fed.

But as bulked pandemic SNAP benefits phase out this month and recipients return to pre-pandemic food allowances, keeping people fed will become more difficult. Samaritan Caregivers, a local nonprofit organization that aims to help Howard County's senior citizens age in place, has already been working to keep people at Terrace Tower fed.

Near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a woman called the Samaritan Caregivers to explain she needed to obtain groceries, but couldn't get to the grocery store. Although the organization had previously driven seniors to grocery stores, it no longer seemed safe to do so.

Instead, using grant money from Duke Energy, The Community Foundation and NIPSCO, the organization began delivering groceries to seniors' homes.

'They shop for you'

Teresa Simpson coordinates the grocery delivery program for Samaritan Caregivers. After seeing the positive impact of the first few deliveries, she suggested the program could become one of the organization's permanent services.

When it first started, Samaritan Caregivers had 20 clients who were each delivered $20 worth of groceries every month.

Now, using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act and a Community Development Block Grant contract through the city, 45 seniors who live independently receive $40 worth of food and household items every month.

The recipients are able to choose between Kroger, Meijer or Aldi for grocery deliveries. Each month, they compile a list of groceries they would like, then send it to Samaritan Caregivers, where volunteers pick up orders and pre-paid gift cards before grocery shopping.

Willie White is one of the program's recipients. He usually orders milk, eggs, chicken and pork chops from Meijer. He tries to choose items that aren't readily available at food pantries around Howard County.

"The Samaritan caregivers is a good organization because of a lot of people, they can't get out," White said. "They shop for you and also they bring it to you, so that's a blessing in itself.

"They do definitely need some more volunteers and more people to donate," White added.

'Everybody struggles right now'

There are 12 people on a waiting list for the grocery delivery program, Simpson explained. As much as she would like to have groceries delivered to those 12 people, she doesn't want to cut grocery budgets for people who are already assisted by the program.

The only criteria the organization looks at for new applicants, Simpson said, is whether the clients are 65 or older and live in Howard County. However, she also tries to figure out who is most in need of the groceries by asking potential clients to self-identify their income range.

"Everybody struggles right now, I get that, but a lot of people live on such a minimal amount of money," Simpson said, adding that one woman told her the grocery delivery service helps her decide whether or not she can purchase her prescription.

'My passion is helping them'

The recipients are able to order anything from the grocery store, except pet supplies, alcohol or tobacco products. The volunteers also try to find inexpensive products that will feed the recipients for longer, Simpson said.

Caroline Jewel is one of the program's volunteers. Specifically, she delivers groceries to White and his friend, Monty Irvin, who lives in the same building and told White about the program.

So far, she's made three deliveries to Terrace Tower.

When Jewel started working at Community First Bank of Indiana in January, she explained, the bank encouraged her to find a community service she was passionate about and get involved. The company even offers volunteer time.

"My passion is helping them," Jewel said. "And I love grocery shopping, too."

After speaking with Samaritan Caregivers, she decided the grocery delivery program would be a good fit. She remembers thinking "shame on me that I've lived here all my life and I didn't even know what all they have to offer seniors."

During each visit with Jewel, White said, he and the volunteer pray in the Terrace Tower parking lot before he brings his groceries up to his apartment on the sixth floor.

White has also started to send letters to the Caregivers to thank volunteers for their service.

Other than the grocery delivery service, Samaritan Caregivers offers transportation for seniors, an Adopt-A-Grandparent program and Medicare counseling.

Before the pandemic, transportation was Samaritan Caregivers' most popular service. Volunteers provided roughly 2,500 rides every year, explained Jamey Henderson, the organization's executive director.

For the Adopt-A-Grandparent program, volunteers send monthly cards to homebound seniors every month.

"The Samaritan Caregivers office receives calls regularly from grateful people, to share that receiving those notes on a routine trip to the mailbox to find something that puts sunshine in their day," Henderson wrote.

Through the Caregivers Medicare counseling, volunteers who are trained by the Indiana Department of Insurance work with seniors and their families to navigate the Medicare system. The volunteers are also trained to identify and report Medicare fraud through the state's Senior Medicare Patrol Program.

"Unlike ads on TV, there are no sales involved," Henderson wrote in an email. "Just qualified, objective information so people can make the best decisions possible for their health-care dollars."

The executive director added that Samaritan Caregivers provided 207 in-person or over-the-phone appointments in 2021.

Chocolate celebration

Every year, the Samaritan Caregivers hold a Chocolate Celebration fundraiser to keep the organization running.

Friday will mark 20 years of the chocolate-themed fundraiser. The celebration will be held at Kokomo First Church of the Nazarene, 2734 S. Washington St., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"As the pandemic lessens, I am just so excited to see so many of our friends and collaborators, our volunteers, our donors and our seniors," Henderson said. "I'm just so excited to see everybody; to get together for something that's so enjoyable."

During the event, 37 vendors will trade donated chocolate for tickets. Three tickets will cost $10 and can be purchased at the event or prior to the fundraiser at the Samaritan Caregivers office, 2705 S. Berkley Road, Suite 3C.

All proceeds from the event will go to Samaritan Caregivers, Henderson explained, adding the event's sponsors, such as First Farmers Bank & Trust, offset the cost of organizing the event.

"People can feel good about not only enjoying chocolate treats, but the money goes toward giving hope to seniors," Henderson said.

Today is the last day businesses can place delivery orders for employees who aren't able to attend the event. There is a $40 minimum for business orders, which will provide 12 items. There is also an additional $5 delivery fee. Business orders will be delivered between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in placing an order, or to see the list of treats all 37 vendors will offer at the event, check samaritancaregivers.org/events/chocolate+celebration/2.

People who don't have a sweet tooth, but would still like to support the ongoing efforts to bring hope to Howard County seniors are encouraged to make a donation to the Samaritan Caregivers. They are able to do so on the organization's website, samaritancaregivers.org/pages/home/1, or by visiting the organization's office. Donors are able to designate their funds to specific programs, Henderson said.

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.