SENIOR HOT MEAL PROGRAM

Serving Meals, Spreading Hope: Empowering Danbury's Seniors and Honoring Community Roots

In April 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced The New American Dream Foundation (TNADF) to postpone its annual scholarship gala, we redirected our efforts to meet our community’s most urgent needs. Partnering with The Amber Room Colonnade, the official venue of our gala, TNADF launched the COVID-19 Hot Meal Program to provide ready-to-eat meals at cost to children, families, and seniors in Danbury. What began as 300 weekly meals at Morris Street School quickly grew to serve over 600 meals weekly across multiple schools. By summer 2020, as more supports for families became available, the program transitioned to focus on seniors—many of whom faced not only food insecurity but also isolation.The program expanded from one senior housing site to eight, with meals delivered by trained resident volunteers and building leaders. Today, the program is a monthly connection for more than 650 seniors, who look forward to a warm, home-style meal and the friendly visit that comes with it.

More Than a Meal: The Friendly Visitor Program

What makes this program unique is its Friendly Visitor model. Every delivery is an opportunity to connect:

Volunteers celebrate birthdays and milestones
Seniors receive handwritten cards from school children and community members
Flowers, care kits, and special touches on holidays bring joy and dignity
Building leaders form lasting bonds with residents, noticing when extra support is needed

Through these visits, seniors receive not just nourishment, but companionship and reassurance that they are cared for and not alone.

“They are the sons and daughters of the previous generation of immigrants, in which every new community stands on its shoulders. Our hot meal program became our way to give back to those that helped build our community”

Emanuela Palmares, TNADF vice-president

Program Impact

Since its inception, the TNADF Hot Meal & Friendly Visitor Program has:

Served more than 49,000 meals to children, families, and seniors
Ensured zero meals wasted, redirecting any extras to local shelters
Mobilized over 35 dedicated volunteers—many senior residents themselves
Enhanced holidays by delivering Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, along with thousands of handmade cards created by students and volunteers
Provided critical resources on elder abuse, fraud prevention, health services, and more

Community Partners

This program is made possible thanks to partnerships with:
The Amber Room Colonnade • SOAR Together • National Charity League (Redding & Ridgefield Chapters) • Union Savings Bank • Newtown Savings Bank • Agewell Danbury Community Council • City of Danbury Health Department • Danbury Parking Authority