The CareGivers is dedicated to helping elders stay in their homes, and provides services that help them do so. Elsie relies on the CareGivers for help grocery shopping and getting to appointments. And each month, she welcomes a volunteer from the CareGivers Caring Cupboard food pantry.
“I get my food delivered every couple of weeks and transit to go to the doctors,” says Elsie, “so it’s been incredible. I feel so fortunate.” Elsie has also developed a friendship with EriikkaKopycinski, the volunteer who delivers her food, “and it’s fun to have Eriikka come every month to visit.”
Kopycinski says that she’s glad to be able to give back to an important population to the larger community. “We’ve learned a lot from the elderly, and it gives me deep gratification that I can deliver something to them through the Caring Cupboard and they’re happy, they’re gracious, they’re thankful and it makes me feel happy that I can help someone and make their day brighter.”
The Cupboard aquires much of it’s food through individual donations, as well as from local supermarkets; and relies on volunteers and their cars to deliver the food, all of which helps keep overhead low. Elsie says her kids are incredulous at the amount of food in her cupboard, “they’ll say to me, ‘how much did this cost you, Mom?’ And I’ll say, ‘Nothing! They don’t charge!’”
