It is with great sadness that the Newport Senior Center has canceled all activities until further notice. The board of directors did not make this decision lightly. As an organization that promotes socialization and understands what it means to all of our participants, it was very difficult to learn we cannot provide the services that you have come accustomed to. Although you are unable to grace us with your smiling faces, we are working with some great community members to promote socialization in other forms.
Each of you probably remembers the days when we had pen pals. In today’s world, it is more about electronics, mostly telephones. We are pleased to announce that we are working with our next door neighbors at the South Congregational Church to bring you Tele-pal. At a time when everything is scary, confusing and sometimes depressing, it is helpful to have others to talk to and this is what Tele-pal is going to do. If you would like someone to talk to once a week or more, contact us at 863-3177, 863-6770 or 863-5139 and ask to be put on the Tele-pal list. With your permission, we will give your name and number to our partners at South Church and someone will be in touch with you to begin a new friendship.
Sullivan County Nutrition Services is working out a program that will give our congregate meal guests the opportunity to access a congregate meal by other means. If you are a congregate meal guest who enjoys SCNS lunches, at the Newport Senior Center or the Earl Bourdon Centre in Claremont, and has a Napis form already on file, call 863-3177, 863-5139 or 863-6770 to learn how you may be able to continue to receive your daily meal.
SCNS is in the process of organizing quarantine boxes for our Meals-on-Wheels clients. These boxes will be a 14-day supply of shelf-stable items to use in the event of non-delivery due to the Covid-19 virus. We are experiencing difficulty in accessing individual size shelf -stable food items at this time as vendors & stores are experiencing an increase in demand. We will continue to do our best to locate items so that we can get these boxes out as soon as possible. SCNS does not have the need to keep boxes on hand because boxes are not a part of or regular business practice. When we started putting the word out there that we needed boxes, an anonymous business in Newport did not hesitate to step up to the plate to not only obtain over 400 boxes, but also donate the boxes.
In addition, we have a group of volunteers from Grantham, the Newport Rec Center, Town of Newport and the school superintendent have reached out to us to offer support in delivering quarantine boxes to meals-on-wheels participants and any other service that could be helpful to ensure our older adults are being taken care of.
You may not see us, but we are still here and only a phone call away. The board and the staff are committed to providing you support as we go through this confusing and unusual time.
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