TD Charitable Foundation Supports Delivering Hope Through Nutrition – A meal delivery program for seniors.

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Fri, Jan 22nd, 2021

by DCP Staff

Delivering Hope through Nutrition

December 2020 – Ellsworth, ME – The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, recently donated $10,000 to Friendship Cottage as part of the foundation’s commitment to the community. Through this funding, Friendship Cottage will prepare 1,064 healthy meals for seniors. Each meal is carefully prepared using the freshest ingredients.

Friendship Cottage is an adult day service, serving the Blue Hill Peninsula. The program is for low to moderate-income people who are disabled or older adults. The program connects participants with medical, nutritional, and social support. Friendship Cottage enables older adults to age safely with dignity in their personal home.

Friendship Cottage has remained open throughout the duration of COVID-19. Traditionally, the program provided breakfast and lunch to (on-site) participants. Once COVID began, many participants could no longer attend and it became apparent that they did not have the resources or ability to gain fresh home cooked meals. 

The aged represent the highest risk population group. The risk is compounded when people cannot drive resulting in less (or no) access to healthy foods. Isolation is not just a matter of loneliness; it presents safety concerns. This creates a dual problem. COVID-19 did not cause this issue - though the pandemic increased the number of older adults impacted by it.

Friendship Cottage, program director - Anne Ossanna saw an opportunity to interact with previous participants using a meal delivery system. Through the meal delivery system, staff check-in with seniors ensuring they have what they need. Supplying healthy meals and emotional support acts as a lifeline for those who are spending long periods in isolation.

Anne Ossanna said, “Many of our participants only ate weekday meals at Friendship Cottage. When they were no longer able to attend our program because of the pandemic, they were limited in the food they had.”

“TD Bank is honored to help ensure the delivery of nutritious meals to our community's seniors during this challenging time," said Sheryl McQuade, Regional President, Northern New England, TD Bank. "This contribution supports our longstanding commitment to community enrichment through our corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment."

Friendship Cottage is grateful for the generous donation provided by The TD Charitable Foundation. The program relies heavily on community support. Please visit the program’s webpage and make a charitable contribution, https://www.downeastcommunitypartners.org/services/elder/friendship-cottage/donate-volunteer.php

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $230 million through more than 21,330 grants through donations to local non-profits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation is available at https://www.tdbank.com/corporate-responsibility/the-ready-commitment/funding-opportunities/