Story published April 14, 2021, by NBC4:
LifeCare Alliance is helping more people put food on the table during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michelle Jones, LifeCare Alliance’s Communication Director, says the Agency distributes about 5,000 meals at both their drive-through sites and in person.
Anyone who needs assistance can check out LifeCare Alliance’s programs page.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, over 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.
One of the ways LifeCare Alliance helps to alleviate the challenges of access to food is through our congregate dining centers. Due to COVID-19, this program is currently offered with Grab-and-Go meals at senior residences in Franklin County and a drive-thru service at our signature dining center, Carrie’s Café. In addition to these models of meal distributions, Grab-and-Go events were established throughout the warmer weather months to enrich programming and provide education about voting procedures for the upcoming election.
Thanks to funding from the League of Women Voters, these events have been enhanced through advertising, music, desserts, games, prizes, signs, stickers, voter absentee applications, voter education flyers, and more. This helps to reach more individuals with voter education that is still safe for clients, some of who are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
What better way to celebrate a supporter of our nutrition programs than on World Food Day! Every year on October 16, World Food Day brings to light the concerns of food security, with this year’s theme being Grow, Nourish, Sustain, Together. We are sincerely appreciative to funders like the League of Women Voters who help us Nourish the Human Spirit!
-By Stephanie Rowe Bencic, LifeCare Alliance
As a result of some of the new COVID-19 protocols, it took us some time to relaunch our congregate meal program and assess how to do it safely for all parties involved. Leah Bunck, MSW, Director of Congregate Dining at LifeCare Alliance, discussed the challenges of relaunching the program: “Many of our clients do not drive, which means we had to figure out the best way to bring the meals and programming to them. Partnering with senior apartment buildings throughout Franklin County has worked very well.”
In addition, converting our signature dining center, Carrie’s Cafe, into a drive-thru has worked as a great alternative for clients that can drive. Once we realized that we could do a “Grab-and-Go” model at senior residences as well as a restaurant-style drive-thru to continue to provide meals to our seniors who had previously attended our dining center events, we knew we could still make the Census education campaign a success.
Each year, we take the time to thank our outstanding volunteers who embody our motto of “Nourishing the Human Spirit.”
Our volunteer base is the heart of LifeCare Alliance, and the work that volunteers do is so valuable to our Agency and our clients alike. More than 100 volunteers are needed every single day to deliver Meals-on-Wheels, run errands, assist with light housekeeping tasks, assist at a Senior Dining or Wellness Center, serve on a board, make favors for our clients, or help in the office.
Volunteers come together as individuals, corporations, families, and groups with the energy and enthusiasm needed to carry out the mission of LifeCare Alliance. Because of the volunteer base, LifeCare Alliance is able to continue serving clients without a waiting list, keeping homebound older adults and individuals with a medical challenge or disability safe, independent, and in their own homes — where they want to be!
Below is information on the locations, dates and times of recognition events throughout our service area. Please join us!
LifeCare Alliance Recognition
Monday, April 27, 2020 — 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Columbus Cancer Clinic/CODA/Help-at-Home/IMPACT Safety
Monday, April 20, 2020 — 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Logan County Recognition
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Hilliker YMCA, 300 Sloan Blvd. Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Champaign County Recognition
Tuesday, April 7, 2020 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Champaign County Library, 1060 Scioto Street Urbana, OH 43078
Marion County Recognition
Thursday, April 23, 2020 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Marion Senior Center, 2375 Harding Hwy E, Marion, OH 43302
Dining Center Recognition
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 — 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Madison County Recognition
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 — 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
St.Patrick’s Church, 61 S. Union St., London, OH 43140
Carrie’s Cafe is offering delicious 10-inch pies for sale this holiday season. The following three pie flavors are available to purchase:
All proceeds from holiday pie sales are invested back into LifeCare Alliance to support older adults, medically challenged and disabled individuals in central Ohio.
Pie orders are due by Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019.
Use the online form to order or call 614-437-2982 Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You may also stop by Carrie’s Cafe during normal business hours.
All orders must be prepaid in full. Cash, checks and credit card are accepted forms of payment. Please make checks payable to LifeCare Alliance.
To order multiple pie flavors, click “Continue Shopping” on the next screen.
Shipping is not available for this promotion. Pie orders can be picked up at Carrie’s Cafe, 670 Harmon Ave., on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Special events are a key component of LifeCare Alliance’s congregate dining center program, which serves older adults and individuals living with a medical challenge and/or disability at 43 locations across central Ohio. Meal sites address clients’ nutritional, health-related, mental, and psychological needs holistically. They provide a nutritious meal, socialization, enriching programming, health services, and educational opportunities under one roof. Culturally diverse offerings are available at 11 Asian and Somali restaurants.
LifeCare Alliance is the largest provider of senior meals through community dining centers in both central Ohio and the state, according to the Ohio Department of Aging. Dining centers promote successful aging among central Ohioans, which is defined as the avoidance of disease and disability, maintenance of high cognitive and physical functioning, and engagement with life. In 2018, the congregate dining program served 140,436 meals to 4,496 clients. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of senior dining center clients are age 65 or older, 90% have an annual income of less than $20,000, 64% are female, and 55% are minority. Read More
LifeCare Alliance’s “Beat the Heat” program distributes fans to our central Ohio neighbors at risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
To donate, individuals, groups, and businesses can drop off fans at their nearest fire station.
Volunteers are needed to retrieve donated fans from fire stations and transport them to our distribution site at 670 Harmon Avenue.
Can you help? Please let us know by contacting Volunteer Services at volunteer@lifecarealliance.org.
We would like to invite you to our Fan Volunteer Open House to kick off the “Beat the Heat” fan campaign! Please join us to learn more about the program and your responsibility in helping us! Here are the details:
Fan Volunteer Open House
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
670 Harmon Avenue, Columbus, OH 43223
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Light refreshments served.
Each year, we take the time to thank our outstanding volunteers who embody our motto of “Nourishing the Human Spirit.”
Our volunteer base is the heart of LifeCare Alliance, and the work that volunteers do is so valuable to our Agency and our clients alike. More than 100 volunteers are needed every single day to deliver Meals-on-Wheels, run errands, assist with light housekeeping tasks, assist at a Senior Dining or Wellness Center, serve on a board, make favors for our clients, or help in the office.
Volunteers come together as individuals, corporations, families, and groups with the energy and enthusiasm needed to carry out the mission of LifeCare Alliance. Because of the volunteer base, LifeCare Alliance is able to continue serving clients without a waiting list, keeping homebound older adults and individuals with a medical challenge or disability safe, independent, and in their own homes — where they want to be!
Below is information on the locations, dates and times of recognition events throughout our service area. Please join us!
LifeCare Alliance Recognition
Monday, April 30, 2018 — 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Columbus Cancer Clinic
Monday, April 16, 2018 — 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Logan County Recognition
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Hilliker YMCA, 300 Sloan Blvd. Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Champaign County Recognition
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Champaign County Library, 1060 Scioto Street Urbana, OH 43078
Marion County Recognition
Thursday, April 19, 2018 — 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Marion Senior Center, 2375 Harding Hwy E, Marion, OH 43302
Dining Center Recognition
Monday, April 30, 2018 — 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.
L.A. Catering Event Center, 670 Harmon Ave. Columbus, OH 43223
Madison County Recognition
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 — 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Madison County Senior Center, 280 W High St, London, OH 43140
At Big Wheels 2018, LifeCare Alliance announced a $5 Million Match Campaign to secure the future, by building its Legacy Endowment.
The Legacy Endowment Campaign is designed to meet existing and future needs of LifeCare Alliance for decades to come.
An anonymous donor has generously committed to matching the first $5 million in Endowment gifts, beginning in 2018. The donation comes during a momentous occasion for LifeCare Alliance as the Agency celebrates its 120th anniversary.
This Campaign creates an opportunity for individuals and families impacted by the work of LifeCare Alliance to express their stewardship and leave their legacies in concrete and meaningful ways.
If you are interested in learning more about the Legacy Endowment Campaign or how you can become a member of the Catherine Nelson Black Society, please contact Chuck Gehring, President and CEO at 614-437-2801 or Rebecca Hurd, Director of Advancement at 614-437-2867.
© 2025 LifeCare Alliance.
