For many years, Second Helpings has had a special relationship with Heritage Place. Read on to find more about this unique partnership and one agency focusing on the needs of seniors.
“Eating together is a social activity – providing food acts as a supplement for the whole community,” explained Kim Teague, the Center Program Manager at Heritage Place. Heritage Place is a center that provides many activities and programming for seniors above the age of 55. These activities can range from tax preparation and assistance, to knitting and bridge, to nail care, computer classes, and field trips. Those are just a few of the specific services that Heritage Place provides, along with education classes, physical fitness classes, health screenings and information and other social activities. Heritage Place also provides several home services when needed.
Visiting Heritage Place, you’ll find seniors attending any of those classes or activities. With only three full-time employees, several trainees, several interns, and volunteer instructors, the Heritage Place staff is incredibly busy putting together all of these programs. “There is a great need for these services in this area,” Teague stated. “Most of the members and other individuals who participate come from the 46208 zip code (the Butler-Tarkignton neighborhood), but we have some who come from all over Indianapolis as well.”
Heritage Place works with many other agencies to provide the services it does, and one of those is Second Helpings. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it regularly receives bread and desserts, and sometimes fruit, from Second Helpings. Teague explained that those bread and desserts supplement diets and provide needed assistance. “We don’t have a vending machine here, so Second Helpings providing bread and desserts helps us feed our members and helps us keep our programs low-cost. We have a wide spectrum of people who come in – some are lower income, so the food provides a lift for them. They are so grateful for that food. In addition, since they aren’t full meals, members are welcome to take the food home if there’s extra. Some even take it to their neighbors who may not come here for our programming but need extra food.” Teague also noted that nothing goes to waste. “If we have extra, we try to serve the community. We’ll let the church know that we have extra, and they will send a family in need down to pick up the food. Or, we’ll leave the leftovers in the fridge on Friday for church on Sunday. We want to ensure that nothing is going to waste and that we can serve the community with Second Helpings food!”
For Teague, the partnership between Heritage Place and Second Helpings, as well as the partnerships fostered with other agencies, provides a lift for the entire community. “With Second Helpings, the name is well-recognized and brings value to our name and how we are trying to help the community.” She also stated the importance of Second Helpings in the community. “There are so many people who would go hungry with Second Helpings.”
Heritage Place also forms an important part in the community, as could be seen in the buzz of activity, the frequent phone calls asking about classes and services, and the recent spurt in growth in membership. “We looked at our programs and wanted to increase our services. Now, we are receiving two or three new members every week. There’s a greater need for people to be social and involved.”
At this time, Second Helpings provides only bread, desserts, and fruit to Heritage Place, but Teague would like the partnership to grow. “My goal is to offer a complete meal and act as a food service site. We would bring in guest speakers to lecture about various topics, all while everyone enjoys a nice meal.” While a goal for the future, the bread and desserts from Second Helpings provides a helpful lift to Heritage Place, an organization dedicated to serving seniors in the community in multiple different ways.
To ensure that Second Helpings is able to continue to serve seniors like those at Heritage Place, consider making a donation via the link below in support of this critical programming.