June is Seniors Month in Ontario and Muskoka Seniors is celebrating with the launch of a new grocery delivery service and fundraising initiative. “At Muskoka Seniors, we celebrate older adults every day,” says Jenn Pfrimmer, who is the organization’s executive director. “This month is a good opportunity for us to tell our story more broadly and raise awareness about how we help to support our local seniors. This year’s theme for Seniors Month is ‘stay safe, active and connected.’ These are high priorities for us.”
The free online grocery deliveries will help to support clients by making shopping safer and simpler. Grocery delivery is available Tuesday to Thursday. Clients who want to use the service must call the office. Muskoka Seniors will then coordinate with a volunteer who will pick up the online grocery order and provide contact-free delivery. This service is currently available for orders placed with Metro or Bullock’s Independent Grocer in Huntsville.
“This service is especially helpful during the pandemic but is an offering we plan to maintain in the long term,” says Pfrimmer. “We know that physical limitations, varying comfort levels and other logistical struggles can make it a challenge for some clients to get to the store.”
Pfrimmer predicts this service will be appreciated by seniors as well as those who order and pick-up groceries on behalf of their loved ones. The grocery delivery service is a fitting complement to the breadth of affordable Muskoka Seniors offerings that support seniors living independently at home. Their transportation service provides rides in town to do errands and for medical appointments as far away as Toronto. Muskoka Seniors also offers frozen meal delivery and tax services. Before the pandemic, they enriched their clients’ social lives by hosting incredibly popular luncheons. They’ve been offering weekly Zoom socials on a variety of timely and fun topics in lieu of these in-person gatherings. Services are offered at subsidized rates and there is no cost to become a Muskoka Seniors client.
“Over the last 18 months we have seen incredible resiliency in our clients, volunteers and community,” says Pfrimmer. “Seniors Month is a good time to pause and honour their strength and perseverance. We are so proud of how well everyone has adapted.” At the same time, the pandemic has demonstrated how vital these services are to local seniors and also impacted the organization’s ability to rely on volunteers and increased operating costs. Muskoka Seniors is funded in part by Ontario Health, but is responsible to raise approximately 50 percent of their annual operating budget. Those who are in the Muskoka Seniors community will receive a donor card in the coming days; people can also contribute through their website. Muskoka Seniors has also launched a Facebook fundraising campaign that allows people to collaborate with their contacts to help raise money. Visit their website and Facebook page for details on how you can support the organization.
For more information on the services available through Muskoka Seniors, or to become a client, please call 705-789-6676 or visit www.muskokaseniors.org