HARTFORD, Conn — The Salvation Army along with a team of volunteers delivered 750 meals to seniors in need in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Windsor, and Wethersfield on Christmas Day.
“I think we have a lot of seniors who are shut-in and can’t go and visit their families because of the risk of Covid, so I think this year especially I think is pretty significant for seniors who are receiving this meal.”
said Major Migdalia Lavenbein, who is the Greater Hartford Area Services Coordinator of The Salvation Army.
The pandemic did not stop her and the rest of the team from hosting this more than 30-year-tradition.
The meals were delivered to seniors in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Newington, Windsor, and Wethersfield.
Volunteers like Brian Malarkey and his family said helping those in need was the best gift they could have given this Christmas morning.
“Doing this is because again, previously being able to serve meals at churches or food pantries and stuff like that and since that can’t happen so this is the new opportunity for us to help,” said Malarkey.
“This is just incredible when you think about people who could be home on Christmas Day with their families. They’ve all gotten up early, they’ve gotten in line and they come, they tell us how many meals they want to deliver,” said Lavenbein.
The Salvation Army said it received hundreds of requests from seniors for this year's Holiday Meals program.
The Salvation Army is the only agency in the Greater Hartford area that delivers a holiday meal to seniors on these holidays every year and support from its donors helps to continue supporting those most in need in the Greater Hartford community.