New Program Provides Additional Food Security for Senior Citizens

At the beginning of the pandemic, Herndon Village Network rolled out its new emergency food program. Now in its fourth month, the program continues to provide additional food security for participating senior citizens at Herndon Harbor House and Kendrick Court Apartments.

“We learned that, when the Herndon Senior Center closed for holidays or inclement weather, so did the county’s daily lunch program. Some seniors were unexpectedly finding themselves with little to no food,” noted Penny Halpern, President of the Herndon Village Network board. “That’s when we decided to offer emergency food deliveries.”

Little did Herndon Village Network know how timely its new program was. The first delivery was in March, when the area started to feel the effects of the pandemic. To date, the local nonprofit has provided senior citizens with three large deliveries of emergency food and related items. These include shelf-stable drinks, oatmeal, fruit, soup, macaroni and cheese, cheese and peanut butter crackers, pudding, jello, toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, handmade face masks, and more.

Through the pandemic, Herndon Village Network (HVN) has also continued its transportation services, for which the nonprofit is well known:

• Private transportation of healthy HVN members to “must do” doctor appointments, pharmacies, and grocery stores; and

• Pickup and delivery of ordered prescriptions and groceries, so that HVN members do not have to go into stores.

Herndon Village Network (HVN) thanks community members for their continued financial and volunteer support. To learn more, please visit https://herndonvillagenetwork.org/.