Wildcat Workers Join Council Member Ben Kallos in Delivering Meals to Seniors at Isaacs and Holmes NYCHA Towers

Wildcat Services Works with Chronically Unemployed Persons and those with Criminal Convictions as part of their Efforts to Help Individuals to Achieve Economic Wellbeing

Upper East Side, NY- Today Council Member Ben Kallos in partnership with the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center was joined by volunteers from Wildcat services in delivering 200 meals to seniors living at the Holmes Towers and Isaac’s Houses as well as older adults residing in other public housing facilities in the surrounding neighborhoods. During to the COVID-19 pandemic, food provided to seniors and individuals in need must be delivered directly to the recipient’s door to avoid the risks posed by pick-ups. As a result, the Stanley Isaacs Center has had to work and rely on energetic community volunteers to help deliver the food and there has been a consistent need for more volunteers.

Council Member Kallos, who has worked with Wildcat Services since 2018 when he contracted them to help keep neighborhood streets clean, noticed that the decline in foot traffic due to businesses being closed meant that some Upper East Side streets could skip a day of cleaning. He contacted Wildcat management to inquire whether their workers would instead be willing to join him in distributing meals to the City’s most vulnerable. After coordinating and some preparation, today, a team of Wildcat service workers spent time with Council Member Kallos and facility employees going door to door ensuring residents in need received their meals. 

The 200 meals were provided by New York Common Pantry. Council Member Ben Kallos has funded New York Common Pantry with $11,000 in discretionary funding for FY 2020. This funding is used in their mission to help meet the food needs of New York City families by providing culturally-appropriate and nutritiously-balanced meals that also reduce hunger and promote dignity, health and self-sufficiency.

“Our neighborhood facilities that feed our seniors and house NYCHA residents needed help with getting meals to the community,” said Council Member Ben Kallos “I knew I could not do it all myself so I called in enforcements. My friends over at Wildcat pounced at the chance to help, today is a win for everybody involved. Thank you to the folks from Wildcat and whose help made this possible and to the other volunteers who really made a difference today.”

“Throughout our history, Isaacs Center has provided essential services to seniors, especially those who - under normal conditions - are living on fixed incomes and are forced to make hard choices every month between food, medicine, and rent. In this moment of extraordinary crisis, and in alignment with all appropriate health and safety guidelines, we are proud to maintain critical operations to provide meals to isolated, homebound, and medically fragile older adults. We applaud and thank Council Member Kallos, Common Pantry, and Wildcat for their continued partnership and support, said Gregory J. Morris, President and Executive Director, Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center.” 

“Ben Kallos has always been supportive of us here at Holmes and Isaacs.  It is very important to the seniors and the community as a whole to a have food especially at a time like this.  We are appreciative to all the volunteers that come out to deliver food, putting their own health at risk. The Stanley Isaacs Community Center is a valuable resource in our community. Food insecurities, safety, health and well-being are things that our community has struggled with for years.  We can only combat these with continued support from our elected officials,” said La Keesha Taylor, Holmes Towers resident and community stakeholder. 

“On behalf of Wildcat it is our pleasure to help with such a compassionate and necessary need for the community. We thank Council Member Ben Kallos for entrusting us, together we will get through this,” said Lortesha White Senior Supervisor at WildCat services.

"We are always proud to partner with Council member Kallos. Serving our community together allows us to ensure all residents get the healthy, nutritious food they need, especially now when so many are affected by the crisis,” said Deana Murtha Senior Director of Development and Communications New York Common Pantry.

About Wildcat: Since its founding in 1972, Wildcat has continued to add innovative services and programs centered on transitional employment, job placement and workforce development to help justice-involved individuals, the homeless, the chronically unemployed and public assistance recipients achieve economic wellbeing.

As a pioneer in transitional employment, Wildcat touches the lives of tens of thousands of justice-involved individuals and their families. We are proud that our work informs the national conversation about mass incarceration and justice reform.