Senior Transportation Program:
In May of 2022, a 70-year-old resident approached staff and asked for a ride to the grocery store because she was too old to get her groceries on and off the bus, and her neighbor was charging her $20 each way to go to the grocery store. Realizing that she probably was not the only aging resident dealing with this issue, the Housing Authority staff immediately created a senior transportation program that offers free rides door-to-door for residents living within our housing communities who are 55 years or older.
Each month, individuals call staff to let them know if they need transportation. The days for transportation are Tuesday and Wednesday between 10 am and 2 pm. Staff uses the agency's 15-passenger van or 7-passenger van to transport the residents, using safety protocols. The residents are given 45 minutes to an hour to shop before they are picked up and returned to their homes. For those with a lot of groceries, the staff also helps to deliver the groceries to the front door.
This program has alleviated the stress of aging residents trying to get to the grocery store each month with limited transportation and the ability to carry groceries. Ensuring that our residents are aging in place safely is a priority of the Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro.
Senior Food Box Deliveries:
During the pandemic, many of our senior residents who received food boxes because of food insecurities were no longer able to receive their food assistance, as they were not able to get the food boxes, and the agency providing the food boxes was not able to deliver food to the residents. Many of the aging residents depend on those food boxes each month as they do not qualify for food stamps or get so little that they cannot purchase enough food.
After learning of the issue, the Resident Service's staff connected with the local foodbank that provided the food boxes to learn how to best get the boxes to the residents. Since many of the aging residents were homebound, staff reached out to all residents 60 years and old who meet the financial qualifications to receive a food box to see if they wanted a box. Initially, over 150 residents signed up to receive a food box, so staff began delivering the boxes to the aging resident's doors on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. This has been an ongoing project since 2020, and the residents look forward to receiving their food boxes which contain nonperishable foods and cheese each month.
The Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro wants to assure aging residents that they are a priority and that, as a staff, we will do what we can to help them age in place with dignity and respect. Currently, 125 residents 60 and older receive a food box on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.