SACRAMENTO—Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced a plan to get meals to isolated older adults by paying the restaurant industry to prepare and deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner for them.
The governor said the program was created to give a lifeline to seniors at home, while giving a financial boost to restaurants struggling under shelter-in-place restrictions.
Newsom predicted that “millions and millions” of meals will be delivered in the next few weeks.
“It’s not just about the meals,” Newsom said in a coronavirus briefing. “It’s about a human connection. It’s about somebody just checking in as they are delivering those meals and making sure people are OK. It extends a wellness narrative.”
The program, which Newsom said was the first of its kind, will reimburse restaurants $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch and $28 for dinner. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will fund 75 percent of the cost, and state and local governments will pay the rest.
Local communities would decide which restaurants participate in the program.
To be eligible, seniors must be at high risk of contracting COVID-19, have already been exposed, or be below the federal definition of poverty.
During the same briefing, Newsom touted the state’s “Friendship Line” at 888-670-1360, which was created by the California Institute on Aging as a way for older adults to find emotional support.
“You just need someone to talk to? That’s the line to call,” Newsom said. “You need someone to just listen for five, 10, 20 minutes, you don’t need anything in particular, you just need to get something off your chest, you just want to share some thoughts or how you’re feeling, that’s the line.”
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For information call 211 or visit bit.ly/3aCK3Z0.
