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Zina Bass (right), Franklin County Dining Center Spirit Award recipients

Vince Bednar, Groceries-to-Go Spirit Award recipient

Brian & Sandy Freer, John Marakas Philanthropic Spirit Award recipients

Dr. Ryan Heksch (right), Camp Hamwi Spirit Award recipient

Tim Helsel (middle) & Don Murnane (right), LifeCare Alliance Spirit Award recipients

Tim Kelly, Meals-on-Wheels Spirit Award recipient

Denny & Dori Lyman, Carrie’s Café Dining Center Spirit Award recipients

Warner Moore, LifeCare Alliance Spirit Award recipient

Yvette Moyler, Columbus Cancer Clinic Spirit Award recipient

Jim Robideau, LifeCare Alliance Food Production Spirit Award recipient

Kay Senft, Senior PetCare Spirit Award recipient

Kimberly Steward (left), Wellness Spirit Award recipient

Cancer Thrift Stores, Catherine Nelson Black Philanthropic Spirit Award recipient

The Columbus Foundation, LifeCare Alliance Founders Spirit Award recipient

Dublin PATHS, School Spirit Award recipient

Jack and Jill of America, LifeCare Alliance Holiday Helper Spirit Award recipient

Performance Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, LifeCare Alliance Corporate Leadership Spirit Award recipient

Pope John XXIII Parish, Franklin County Community Service Spirit Award recipient

Worthington Industries, Meals-on-Wheels Corporate Spirit Award recipient

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Local Elected Official Spirit Award recipient (not present)

This year LifeCare Alliance marks 50 years of being the Meals-on-Wheels provider in central Ohio – half a century of meeting our neighbors right where they live, in their own homes and communities. What started in Franklin County in 1973, expanded into Madison, Marion, Champaign, and Logan counties as these additional communities found themselves in need of a Meals-on-Wheels provider. LifeCare Alliance stepped in, saving this critical service for central Ohioans.

We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our local elected officials and community leaders. Each year, we provide these stakeholders with the opportunity to see firsthand the impact of Meals-on-Wheels on the lives of their residents and constituents. Each March, we host Community of Champions week when we invite these leaders to join alongside us to deliver a Meals-on-Wheels route, work in our kitchen, or otherwise support hands-on service with our clients. We are honored and humbled by their support and engagement.

Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, Marion with Martin Brown (LifeCare Alliance driver)

West Jefferson Mayor Ray Martin

London Mayor Patrick Closser with Dennis Wiser (volunteer) and Tony Madison (LifeCare Alliance driver)

Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin with LifeCare Alliance President and CEO Chuck Gehring

Michael Murry COO of Governor DeWine’s office and Nicole Envid (LifeCare Alliance Community Engagement Manager)

State Representative David Dobos

Senator Bob Hackett and Ghadir Amin (LifeCare Alliance Development Assoc.-Meals-on-Wheels Engagement)

Special thanks to:

Chief Operating Officer of the Governor’s Office Michael Murry

City Administrator BJ King, Groveport

City Council President Shannon Hardin, Columbus

Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (Marion County)

Community Affairs Director, Jessica Wyke, Groveport

Councilman Jack Rupp, Groveport

Councilmember Christine Houk, Grove City

Executive Assistant Kristiauna Trelay, Groveport

Fire Chief Den Ortlieb, Urbana Fire Division (Champaign County)

Judge Andrea Peeples

Lieutenant Ed Brown, Marion City Police Department (Marion County)

Mayor Lance Westcamp, Groveport

Mayor Laurie Jadwin, Gahanna

Mayor Patrick Closser, London (Madison County)

Mayor Ray Martin, West Jefferson (Madison County)

Police Chief Casey Adams, Groveport

Police Chief McDonald (Marion County)

Police Officer Amanda Adkins (Marion County)

Police Officer Chris Adkins (Marion County)

Police Officer Shane Gabriel (Marion County)

Police Officer Andy Isom (Marion County)

Police Officer Montel Smith (Marion County)

Police Officer Nicole Wheeler (Marion County)

Ohio State Representative Dave Dobos, House District 10

Ohio State Representative Dontavius Jarrells, House District 1

Ohio State Representative Richard Brown, House District 5

Ohio State Senator Bob D. Hackett, Senate District 10

The holiday season is here! LifeCare Alliance offers opportunities across many of our programs to volunteer, give, and Nourish the Human Spirit. All activities are family-friendly; children should be accompanied by an adult. Please read below to see what way of giving works best for you. Thank you for your support, and happy holidays!

Meals-on-Wheels Delivery

Address: 670 Harmon Avenue, 43223
Website: www.lifecarealliance.org
Questions? Email: volunteer@lifecarealliance.org
Call: 614-444-MEAL (6325)
Volunteer opportunity: Multiple opportunities to assist with Meals-On-Wheels food delivery during the holiday season.  Deliver holiday cheer and hot, nutritious meals to your neighbors who may be elderly, medically challenged or home bound and receive Meals-on-Wheels.  Training is provided before departing on a route. Delivery takes 1-1.5 hours between 10am-1pm.

New volunteers should start by submitting a volunteer application.

Existing volunteers can sign up for opportunities using the below links.

Week before Christmas: Dec. 18 – Dec 24, 2022
Click here to schedule for Dec. 18-24

Christmas Day and last week of December:  Dec. 25, – Dec. 31, 2022
Click here to schedule for Dec. 25-31

New Year’s Day: Jan. 1, 2023
Click here to schedule for Jan. 1-7

Adopt-A-Senior client of the Meals-on-Wheels program

Date(s) and Time(s): Nov. 1 – Dec. 16, 2022; 9am-4pm
Address: 670 Harmon Avenue, 43223
Contact: Molly Haroz, 614-437-2861
Email: mharoz@lifecarealliance.org
Giving opportunity:  Donate gifts that will be delivered during the holidays to older adults who receive Meals-on-Wheels.
Gifts should be delivered unwrapped to our facility: 670 Harmon Ave.

Donation ideas include:

• calendars
• puzzle books
• note cards and stamps
• toothpaste
• deodorant
• shaving cream
• soap
• socks
• lotions
• cologne
• mugs

*Donations of tissue paper and small gift bags are welcomed.

Adopt-A-Client of the Groceries-to-Go nutritional program

Date(s) and Time(s): Nov. 1 – Dec. 16, 2022
Address: 670 Harmon Avenue, 43223
Contact: Leilani Monfort, 614-437-2836
Email: lmonfort@lifecarealliance.org
Volunteer opportunity: Drivers to deliver to homebound clients

Giving opportunity: Donate food and personal hygiene items that will be available to clients of the Columbus Cancer Clinic, as well as their families.

Donation ideas include:

• gift cards
• lotion
• bath salts
• shampoo
• conditioner
• hand soap
• household cleaning supplies
• canned vegetables
• canned soups
• snacks
• sweets

The Groceries-to-Go Amazon Wish List contains items that are always needed.

Adopt-A-Senior client of the Help-at-Home program

Date(s) and Time(s): Nov. 1 – Dec. 16, 2022
Address: 1699 W. Mound St., 43223
Contact: Help-at-Home, 614-278-3149
Giving opportunity: Provide a local senior items from his or her wish list! Please wrap and deliver gifts to LifeCare Alliance, or you may deliver directly to the senior’s home!

Wish list items may include:

• blankets
• puzzle books
• mugs
• toothpaste
• deodorant
• shaving cream
• soap
• socks
• lotions
• household cleaning items

* Donations of tissue paper and small gift bags are welcomed.

The Help-at-Home Amazon Wish List contains items that are always needed.

Program Wish Lists

You can support clients of other programs of LifeCare Alliance by purchasing items that are always needed! Check out our wish lists below:
Senior PetCare Amazon Wish List
Arthritis Support Services Amazon Wish List
Camp Hamwi Amazon Wish List
Columbus Cancer Clinic Amazon Wish List 

September 18 is National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.

Just 40 years ago, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, no one could have dreamed that there would be need for an observance an event such as this – a day that brings to light the challenges faced by the aging population living with HIV/AIDS.

With advances in treatment, people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. But adults approaching their senior years while living with the disease need support. LifeCare Alliance is dedicated to meeting the nutritional needs of those patients and their families living with HIV/AIDS in central Ohio – our Project OpenHand-Columbus (POHC) offers an extensive intervention program that addresses the causes of malnutrition and hunger associated with HIV/AIDS.

Medical research has shown that a healthy diet is a powerful weapon in fighting infections. Nutritious food can change the course of disease, lessen the harsh side effects of medications, and help the body’s immune system prevent and stop further infections. Armed with this knowledge, POHC provides an extensive intervention program – free of charge – to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in central Ohio:

• Home-delivered meals are hot or frozen and prepared under the direction of a registered dietitian, right here in our central Ohio kitchen.
• Congregate dining centers like Carrie’s Café are open to people ages 60+ and provide a daily nutritious meal in the company of friends and peers.
• One-on-one nutrition counseling helps clients take control of their own nutritional well-being.
• Emergency meal assistance is in place for clients in distress. Meals are delivered within 48 hours to a client’s home, when requested by case managers.

Click here to learn more about Project OpenHand-Columbus and the support we provide to our neighbors living with HIV/AIDS – as they age with dignity, independence, and better health than ever before.

IMPACT Safety, a program of LifeCare Alliance, recently launched a new initiative called “We Are Worth Defending.” The program is designed specifically for women of color (WOC) who are more likely to experience physical and sexual abuse than the wider population of women at large. Studies indicate that among WOC, 1 in 4 of them have experienced sexual assault before the age of 18.

Even with this disparity, WOC are often less likely to learn methods of defending themselves against attack than their white counterparts. Through a series of listening sessions, focus groups and online surveys during 2020-2021, IMPACT Safety engaged with more than 100 central Ohio WOC to try to determine why WOC might be less likely to learn self-defense tactics. This research identified three primary barriers that included time, money, and cultural conditioning.

According to Venica Miller, “We are Worth Defending” project manager, many of the cultural concerns uncovered included misconceptions that society may already look at WOC as being too strong, or too dominant, and thus do not need self-defense.

The week-long trainers’ training was led by Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) instructors from around the globe. ESD is an approach that combines verbal, physical, and intuitive tools to help individuals set boundaries, increase confidence, and learn how to heal from interpersonal violence. (IMPACT Safety is a provider of ESD training in central Ohio.)

“We Are Worth Defending” graduated 15 WOC who are now certified ESD trainers who can go out and teach these skills to other women in their community circles. Dr. Julie Harmon, director of IMPACT Safety, estimates that each newly minted trainer should be able to pass these skills along to approximately 100 other women. This represents an enormous impact in helping central Ohio WOC increase confidence and promote healing within their communities.

Hear from the new trainers themselves about their reaction to the program and their plans for passing these skills along.

Day-to-day responsibilities can make it seem impossible to incorporate new activities, like volunteering, into your routine. Luckily, hundreds of our volunteers know that even with a busy schedule you can still find time to volunteer. Here are some tried and true methods to fit volunteering into your life:

Volunteer with your colleagues

Visit our Levee Event Center at Franklinton for your next working lunch. Our facilities are available for business meetings, seminars, training workshops, holiday celebrations, and more. Before or after a lunch by our L.A. Catering, participate in team-building activities that benefit the community – volunteer together!

Volunteer with family or friends

Many hands make light work, and volunteering together is an excellent way to spend quality time with the people you love. So consider delivering Meals-on-Wheels before your next lunch date with friends or bring the whole family to help prepare pet food deliveries for the Senior PetCare program. Read more about the benefits of volunteering as a family here.

Volunteer on holidays

LifeCare Alliance delivers Meals-on-Wheels 365 days per year. Start a new tradition with family and friends and sign up to volunteer! Thanksgiving and Christmas Day are festive occasions to deliver a Meals-on-Wheels route, and there is no greater holiday gift than the joy of helping a neighbor in need. Help is needed on EVERY holiday, so next Labor Day, or New Years Day, or Fourth of July…. plan to help Nourish the Human Spirit with a few hours of your day off!

So, whether you find yourself with some free time today to deliver a Meals-on-Wheels route or if you’d like to plan ahead, our expert Corporate & Community Engagement team will create an opportunity that works for you. So don’t delay! Read on to learn how to begin your volunteer journey with LifeCare Alliance.

GET STARTED:

First – Learn more about volunteer opportunities with LifeCare Alliance.

Then – fill out our Volunteer Application  and  get in touch with our Corporate & Community Engagement Managers to set up a volunteer experience for yourself or your group. Reach them by email at volunteer@lifecarealliance.org or by phone at (614) 444-6325.

We can’t wait to see you!

Looking for the next outing to enjoy as a family this summer? Come to LifeCare Alliance! We offer a variety of engaging activities, and we can use the help of volunteers of all ages (with parent supervision)! Volunteering can benefit your family in many ways:

Bond in a different way – by working to reach a goal and Nourish the Human Spirit together!

Volunteer and take advantage of an opportunity to connect as a family. Choose from a variety of volunteer activities to appeal to every member of the family: ‘shop’ for the homebound clients who use our Groceries-to-Go pantry, prepare packages of pet food, treats, and toys for clients of the Senior PetCare program, help in our production kitchen, or deliver a Meals-on-Wheels route. Even groups like The Ohio State University Football program volunteer together for team-building; what works for the Buckeyes can certainly work for your family!

Teach your kids about teamwork and collaboration in a new environment.

Delivering Meals-on-Wheels as a family presents an excellent opportunity to practice working together. Assign each member of the family a different role – one person navigates, another knocks on the client’s door, and another hand-delivers the meal. Even little ones can participate and practice greeting new people! Everyone can play a part and experience the satisfaction of helping someone in need.

Show your kids a different view of life in Columbus.

Veteran volunteer Miguel (pictured) says that he likes to bring his children to volunteer because “families can grow and see different aspects of life.” Witnessing the circumstances of those in need can bolster a child’s emotional intelligence and cultivate empathy. And giving their time to help their neighbors is a great way to nurture an attitude of gratitude!

Get started:

First – Learn more about volunteer opportunities with LifeCare Alliance.

Then – fill out our Volunteer Application  and  get in touch with our Community Engagement Managers to set up a volunteer experience for your family. Reach them by email at volunteer@lifecarealliance.org or by phone at (614) 444-6325.

We can’t wait to see you!

According to 10TV, at the peak of last week’s outages, “more than 170,000 Franklin County residents were without power while temperatures reached well into the upper 90s.” Many of those who dealt with the power outages reported extensive food loss, and AEP has responded by partnering with four local non-profits to support affected residents.

LifeCare Alliance, the Meals-on-Wheels provider for multiple central Ohio counties, is one of the local non-profits selected as partners by AEP to support residents and clients who suffered food loss during last week’s extreme heat and power outages. LifeCare Alliance will offer meals to those residents negatively impacted by power outages June 13-17 in Franklin and surrounding counties.

Beginning Monday, June 27, LifeCare Alliance will provide replacement meals to those who lost food due to power outages. To qualify, people can apply online at lifecarealliance.org/referral.  Once they have entered some basic information, they can select AEP Food Replacement Program from the list of LifeCare Alliance programs. After completing the online application, they will be notified by LifeCare Alliance customer service how and when to collect their food.

“AEP has been a great supporter of LifeCare Alliance and our mission in many ways for many years,” said Gehring, president and CEO of LifeCare Alliance.  “We are certainly honored they chose us as one of their key partners in this effort to relieve some of the challenges residents faced during what was an unforeseen emergency situation.”

April was National Volunteer Month, and we took the opportunity to celebrate the ‘World of Difference’ our volunteers make in the community! Six volunteer appreciation events were held across central Ohio. Delicious meals were provided by L.A. Catering, and Spirit Awards were presented to many of the individuals and groups who made a particularly incredible impact in 2021. Thank you to each and every one of our amazing volunteers!

The NCAA basketball tournament isn’t the only event that stirs up excitement all over the country in the month of March.

Each year, Meals on Wheels America celebrates March for Meals nationwide. This month-long awareness campaign commemorates the day in March of 1972 when a vulnerable population was provided the foundation for an important safety net: President Nixon signed into law an historic measure, amending the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors (age 60 and older). This year’s March for Meals was extra special, as we marked the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program.

March for Meals enlists local elected officials and community leaders to help raise awareness about the critical need for Meals on Wheels, the singularly effective program that addresses food insecurity and malnutrition, combats social isolation, enables independence, and helps seniors stay safe and healthy in their own homes – where they want to be!

A heartfelt thank you to the local elected officials and community leaders dedicated their time to experience firsthand what it’s like to deliver Meals-on-Wheels with LifeCare Alliance and serve our homebound neighbors.

Are you getting ready for a trip this winter? If so, make sure you do your research!

Most international destinations now mandate proof of a negative COVID-19 test for entry, and in most cases, the PCR test (SARS-COV-2 PRC TesT) is a preferred testing option. Timing requirements for the test vary from 24, 48, or 72 hours before arrival at your destination.

If you’ll soon be departing for the trip of a lifetime and don’t know where to turn, don’t panic! LifeCare Alliance now offers rapid COVID testing! The rapid PCR test is now available by appointment with guaranteed results in 30 minutes.

The best part? Proceeds from this social enterprise are used to fund LifeCare Alliance’s programs that help the central Ohio community, like Meals-on-Wheels, the Columbus Cancer Clinic, the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, and more!

To schedule an appointment at our Wellness Center (1699 W. Mound Street), call 614-437-2878!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this COVID Travel Test near me?

We are located at 1699 W. Mound Street , Columbus, Ohio 43223

Who needs a rapid PCR test?

Travel to many international destinations requires a negative PCR test at this time. Check with your travel agent, your airline, and confirm with the State Department website that lists destination requirements by country: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/COVID-19-Country-Specific-Information.html

Here is a sampling of the popular destinations that currently (as of 12/14) require a traveler to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon entry and/or be vaccinated:

• Barbados
• Brazil
• Canada
• Dominican Republic
• England
• France
• Germany
• Ghana
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Liberia
• Peru
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania

 What documentation will I receive?

This COVID test with fast results will send you on your way in 30 minutes with a printed copy of your results.

What should I bring to my appointment?

Please bring your passport and driver’s license.

How is the test performed?

A minimally invasive nose swab.

How long will the appointment take?

Please plan for a 30-minute window.

What happens if my test is positive?

If you receive a positive test result, you likely have an infection with SARS-CoV-2. Contact your healthcare provider and your travel agent and travel insurance provider, as your trip will need to be rescheduled.