News & Events

• By: Adrianne Murchison of the AJC

Senior Services North Fulton is providing $150,000 in emergency assistance funds and meals to residents in need during the pandemic. The funds will help some elderly residents who were employed before the pandemic started and are now sheltering in place without income pay rent and utility bills, Executive Director Ron Harlow said. 

The $150,000 is part of $10 million in COVID-19 aid provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in April. 

Funds allocated to Senior Services North Fulton will also help retired seniors who rely on Meals on Wheels and cannot leave home to buy groceries. 

“We are now delivering more meals to our typical clients and purchasing and delivering groceries to them through Instacart (grocery delivery service),” Harlow said. 

Senior Services estimates about 50,000 meals will be delivered in 2020, which is  12,000 more meals than last year. 

In 2019, Senior Services North Fulton served more than 2,000 senior citizens in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, and Sandy Springs, Harlow said. The organization expects to serve up to 100 additional people in 2020 due to coronavirus. 

The emergency funds are a significant help to the organization, he added.

“We are spending every day,” Harlow said. “We feel that the amount Fulton was so generous with, we can use for the next couple of months.”

As part of its ongoing COVID-19 response, Fulton County allocated $150,000 to Senior Services North Fulton for emergency assistance.  The grant came in the second wave of Fulton County COVID-19 Emergency Relief, following the approval of $10 million in funding by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners at the beginning of April. 

Senior Services North Fulton has been the Meals on Wheels provider in North Fulton for nearly 30 years.  As an essential service to the community, the Meals on Wheels program is operational and continues to deliver food to home bound seniors during the pandemic. 

Through this crisis, however, a new group of seniors in need has emerged.  “We are hearing from many workforce seniors in North Fulton who are suddenly out of a job and are struggling to pay bills”, said Ron Harlow, Executive Director of Senior Services North Fulton.  “They are servers at your favorite restaurants, store owners and business people who are having trouble paying their rent and buying food.”  Harlow continued, “This funding will allow us to help a population that has never needed us before.”

If you or someone you know lives in North Fulton, is age 60+ and needs assistance to pay for food, rent/mortgage, utilities, medication or other emergency expenses, contact Senior Services North Fulton to see if you may qualify for the Fulton County COVID-19 Emergency Relief funding – info@ssnorthfulton.org, or call 770-993-1906. 

Senior Services North Fulton would like to thank each and every one of our volunteers for all of your support throughout the year. There is no kinder act than helping someone less fortunate than yourself. Your willingness to share your precious time only strengthens our mission!

Many of you are able to continue delivering meals, pantry items and pet food to our clients during these challenging times. We could not provide these essential services for our clients without you. Our volunteers are the heart of our organization and we thank you for all that you do!

We know that you have not had the opportunity to see your clients lately. Please know that they miss you and love you. Here are just a few quotes from clients who wanted us to express their appreciation:

• “THE MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEERS ARE SO FRIENDLY AND PLEASANT. I MISS THEM”.

• “THANK YOU FOR CARING FOR ME AND HELPING ME HAVE A BETTER LIFE AND HEALTH.”

• “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT THE VOLUNTEERS AT SENIOR SERVICES. YOU ARE GIVING SUCH VALUABLE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THOSE OF US WHO REALLY NEED IT.”

• “I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP MY PET WITHOUT YOUR HELP.”

• “YOU ARE ALL ANGELS – THANK YOU.”

• “WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT OUR DAILY BREAD?! THE VOLUNTEERS (WISH I WAS ONE OF THEM!) GO THROUGH SO MUCH FOR US.”
Love that last one!!

We look forward to celebrating you and your contributions to our organization in late summer or early fall, as our restrictions decrease. Our Volunteer Appreciation luncheon will take place when it is safe for us all to come together to celebrate. Until then, stay safe and healthy.

Thank you Charity Guild of Johns Creek for the handmade masks you made for our staff and volunteers. Our Meals on Wheels program is an “essential service” to the community. We appreciate you giving us the tools we need to safely take care of our senior neighbors.

Country Club of the South Charity Guild has blessed us and our seniors with a $5,000 donation. Thank you to The Guild for recognizing our growing need in these very uncertain times. With our seniors isolating at home, meal delivery is more important now than ever! The donation will be applied to our Meals on Wheels program and TOPS Transportation.

The mission of the Country Club of the South Charity Guild is to support Atlanta area non-profits. Their 100% volunteer-based group is dedicated to raising funds and awarding grants to improve the quality of life for those in our community facing hardships.