Chef Cara Hermanson from Tarallucci e Vino Cooks and Delivers Meals to Homebound Elderly New Yorkers

(September 13, 2016 – New York, NY) – Homebound elderly near Union Square were happy to receive a fall-inspired, hand-delivered meal from Chef Cara Hermanson of Tarallucci e Vino as part of the Chefs Deliver for Citymeals program. Using late-summer produce, she created the perfect mid-September meal.

A Citymeals on Wheels initiative, Chefs Deliver brings together a rotating cast of culinary stars who, once a month, lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking and often personally delivering the meals to the doors of New Yorkers who are too frail to shop and cook for themselves. Chefs Deliver was launched in January 2014 by Citymeals Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud and Citymeals Board Member Chef Charlie Palmer.

Chef Hermanson served up a menu of herb roasted chicken, candied squash and braised kale. Then Chef Hermanson personally delivered some of the meals to isolated older New Yorkers living near Union Square. The remainder of the meals was delivered to Citymeals recipients in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

“Many of us don’t realize the struggles the homebound elderly in New York City experience on a daily basis,” noted Beth Shapiro, Executive Director of Citymeals. “The majority remain alone, day after day, in their apartments with no way to go outside. The meal deliverers may be the only person our frail aged neighbors see all day. Thank you to Chef Hermanson for participating in today’s delivery and to Tarallucci e Vino for being a part of this year’s Sweet September.”

This month is especially sweet as Tarallucci e Vino is participating in the third annual “Sweet September” fundraising initiative for Citymeals. For the entire month of September, select restaurants, bakeries and sweet shops throughout the city will donate a portion of the sale of specially designated “Sweet September” goodies or desserts to Citymeals. A full list of participating locations can be found at www.citymeals.org/sweetseptember.

Citymeals on Wheels prepares and delivers weekend, holiday and emergency meals for over 18,000 homebound elderly New Yorkers. More than 60 percent of Citymeals recipients are over 80 years old; 23 percent are over 90; more than 200 have lived at least a century. All recipients are chronically disabled by conditions such as vision loss, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Nearly all need assistance walking. It is estimated that 66 percent use a cane, 39 percent use a walker and 16 percent use a wheelchair. Citymeals recipients are also isolated: 57 percent live alone; 40 percent rarely or never leave their homes; 8 percent have no one with whom they can talk. Many are also at risk for malnutrition.

###

About Citymeals on Wheels: Citymeals on Wheels (citymeals.org) provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City’s homebound elderly. Working in partnership with community-based organizations and senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals for more than 18,000 of our frail aged neighbors each year. Last year, over 15,000 individuals volunteered nearly 72,000 hours of their time.

Since its founding in 1981, Citymeals has relied on the generosity of its Board of Directors, the City of New York, sponsors and other designated gifts to cover administrative costs. This ensures that 100% of all public donations will be used entirely for the preparation and delivery of meals.