Each Wednesday, Harvey Brisard delivers meals to 9 or 10 seniors around the community for Heart2Heart’s Food for Hope program.

He has been one of our Food for Hope volunteers on the team since 2021 and has made a big difference in seniors’ lives. He is willing to do it because the need is so great. 

“A lot of these seniors are just happy to see you because they don’t have a lot of interaction with folks,” Harvey said. “It’s the highlight of their day to have another human being to talk to because they’re very lonely.” 

Heart2Heart has an incredible opportunity to fill the gap between federally funded meals and lonely seniors. Right now, about 20 Heart2Heart volunteers are delivering meals to seniors every week — usually to 2 or 3 seniors rather than 10. Our goal is to enlist caring volunteers who will spend time talking and checking on each senior every week. 

For that, we need more than 200 volunteers to deliver to a total of 500 seniors across Broward County. 

Wait… that many?

The first iteration of Food for Hope was a privately funded pilot program. Seniors asked for the meals through Heart2Heart directly and volunteers delivered about 5 meals a week per senior. 

Back then, Harvey delivered meals to 3 or 4 seniors. 

Now Heart2Heart is part of the federal meal delivery service, officially called Older Americans Act Nutrition Services Program. Rather than contracting through Meals on Wheels, ADRC Broward now allows seniors meal choices.

Each homebound senior on the program receives a total of 10 meals per week. The deliveries mean they receive nutritious meals that they otherwise couldn’t afford or couldn’t prepare themselves. 

Throughout the week, meals are prepared daily and picked up by Heart2Heart volunteers at restaurants around the county. The schedule for meal deliveries is pretty flexible based on the volunteers availability. Still, volunteers are needed to make about 200 deliveries per week. 

Brightening someone’s day

Because Harvey delivers to many seniors, he only has time for a small chit chat. 

“Usually, they want to tell me their life story, and I wish I had more time. They’re all very sweet seniors,” he said. “I’m getting familiar with them because each week it’s the same routes, the same people.”

He has a chance to practice his Spanish because some of the seniors only speak Spanish. 

“I also have one who speaks Haitian Creole, and I happen to speak Haitian Creole, so I get to talk to her,” Harvey said. 

Volunteers provide an opportunity for conversation and a vital social connection as opposed to a more businesslike dropoff. Harvey agrees volunteers make it more person-centered. 

“You’re actually taking time off your day, and it’s a little sacrifice, but you know you’re making a difference,” he said. “At the end of the day, you feel like you’ve brightened someone’s day just by being there, even for just a few minutes out of the week. I think the personal touch goes a long way.”

To give of your time to serve with seniors, become a volunteer! 

If you’re already a Heart2Heart volunteer and would like to deliver meals, text “Food for Hope” to 954-807-2220.

To read more details about the Food for Hope program, click here.