Nourishing Community

ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AND SOCIAL ISOLATION FOR SENIORS THROUGH TRANSPORTATION

Seabury is excited to celebrate a $250,000 grant from the Washington Home to address Food Insecurity and Social Isolation!

More than half of seniors in DC live alone, and more than one in 10 are food insecure. Food prices have risen more than 22% since May 2020 - and as the Lead Agency for Wards 5 & 6, Seabury is tackling these challenges head on.

With support from the Washington Home, Seabury is building community around food. Nutritionists will provide increased cooking demos and coordinated grocery trips for seniors, and Seabury Connector will provide group trips to local restaurants, nonprofit food partners, farmer’s markets, and more. These trips and cooking demos will not only provide resources to seniors, but also social events to help them engage with their community and build relationships with each other.

As part of this grant, Seabury will be working with the Lead Agency for Wards 7 & 8, East River Family Strengthening Collaborative, to connect members at their dining sites with regular trips to the grocery store. While the long-term solution to “food deserts” is investing in communities to develop resources of their own, one solution for the moment is to remove barriers of access and connect seniors directly to the food resources they need.

This grant will also support Seabury to develop a “no wrong door” approach when staff are asked about food resources, making sure every person at Seabury can point a client, resident, or member to more resources for food. It will also support extended outreach to the community, and enhance Seabury’s transportation program to connect even more older people to places where they can leverage the resources and community around them.

At Washington Home, we believe that no one should face hunger in isolation. This grant represents our commitment to fostering connection and nourishment for seniors in our community, ensuring they have access to the resources they need to thrive together.

SEABURYRESOURCE | FALL/WINTER 2024