Answering Dr. King’s Call to Serve with Food Drive for the Elderly

Answering Dr. King’s Call to Serve with Food Drive for the Elderly

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question,” the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

In celebration of Dr. King’s birthday, Gilchrist and more than 70 churches and community organizations are answering this all-important question with: Helping to feed elder medical care families in need.

Through the end of January, Gilchrist is conducting a drive to collect food and gift cards from staff to support families that receive elder care from our team of specialists.

A Partnership

We have partnered with the Assistance Center of Towson Churches – a consortium of churches, partners and people that serves those in need in northern and central Baltimore County and northern Baltimore City – to handle distribution.

“Many seniors have limited mobility, which makes it difficult – if not impossible – for them to go grocery shopping. By donating nourishing food, we are meeting an urgent need, extending our care to the elderly community, and answering Dr. King’s call to service,” said Jane O’Hara, Gilchrist’s volunteer services recruitment coordinator and a member of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion outreach committee.

What Is Elder Medical Care?

While Gilchrist is perhaps best known for hospice care, our nonprofit also provides elder medical care to those who have difficulty get to office appointments with multiple medical specialists. Rather than require patients to visit the care experts, we send the care experts to patients. In other words, we make house calls. Here’s how it works. Gilchrist takes a team approach to each and every patient. We have physicians, nurse practitioners and social workers who are expert in providing comprehensive, coordinated care.

Each patient is assigned a team, including a nurse practitioner who regularly visits the patient and is available by phone call to the patient around the clock every day. Without this level of in-home care, too many seniors do not receive the regular medical attention they need. Of course, deferred or missed care can result in emergency trips to the hospital.

Through our elder medical care program, we help to ensure that those who would otherwise fall through the “cracks” receive the care and attention they need – when and where they need it. By collecting food in recognition of Dr. King’s birthday and enduring legacy, we are trying to provide even more of the care our seniors need and deserve.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to serve our seniors,” O’Hara said. “And we’re inspired by the extraordinary generosity of our staff and everyone associated with the Assistance Center of Towson Churches.”

To learn more about elder medical care or to request care, please click here or call 888.823.8880.