In early November, volunteers from IPG Corporate hosted a pre-Thanksgiving lunch with St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters at the Encore Senior Center at St. Malachy’s Church.

IPG volunteers greet the clientele, serve them lunch – a balanced and nutritional meal is always part of the menu – help the elderly return to their seats with the food, even help them with their jackets. Part of the food preparation includes the 800+ meals that are delivered daily to clients that are homebound.

But in addition to the food service, one of the most important aspects of this kind of volunteering is simply visiting with the elderly, providing them with a bit of socialization and company they’re often starved for.

As a part of the St. Francis Food Pantries & Shelters network, Encore Community Services provides care and service to the elderly through diversified programs, which enable seniors to live independent, productive and dignified lives throughout their later years.