Our elder care coordinators are contacting clients to ensure they have groceries, medications, and other needed supplies. Below is a short list of options for home delivery for those in need of groceries. This list mainly focuses on the Knox County areas, but if you are in a surrounding county, please contact gabe@franklinkyle.com to learn about other resources:
S.O.S. – SCHAS Out Shopping, “a program to serve people who need to practice social distancing to keep themselves healthy and safe by delivering groceries to their homes. S.O.S. will serve residents age 62 or older or with compromised immune systems in the following counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union. SCHAS will receive the order online or via phone, retrieve the items and deliver them to the person who will reimburse SCHAS upon delivery. They only have to pay for their groceries; there will be no service or delivery fee. SCHAS will accept all major credit cards, cash or personal checks. This program has been sponsored by Home Federal Bank, Dr. Joseph Johnson, MBI Companies, Phoenix Pharmacy and various United Ways agencies. SCHAS has also applied for grant funding to further support this program. Sponsorships will go to helping SCHAS cover the costs of paying their caregivers to process the orders.”
Senior Shopping Hours–-Many stores are offering senior shopping hours during the COVID-19 Outbreak.
Neighbors helping neighbors–For a long list of groups helping in the Knoxville community for grocery deliveries, go here.
Mobile Meals in Knoxville and Knox County–they continue to deliver to seniors and are continuing to accept new clients. For their congregant meal sites, they are delivering 5 meals on Tuesdays.
Caring Plate, a program that offers meals to those receiving cancer treatment, is still running as usual and are continuing to accept new clients.
Restaurants offering take-out and home delivery–-note this is for the Knoxville area and updates are coming in daily. If in doubt, call the restaurant first.
For those who have young children in the home, Knox County Schools has a list of emergency food distribution sites. “While Knox County Schools is closed through April 3, 2020, out of concern over COVID-19, the district will be providing breakfast and lunch to any child 18 and under at no charge. Due to federal regulations, food cannot be distributed during an anticipated closure such as Spring Break; therefore, meal distribution will begin Monday, March 23, 2020.”
Note that during the months of April and May, SNAP benefits will be at the maximum amount for recipients.