14 APRIL 9, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
ACTS OF KINDNESS
Peter Cardella Senior Center delivers food
to members during coronavirus crisis
Photo via Google Maps
BY BENJAMIN MANDILE
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
While the Peter Cardella Senior
Center (PCSC), which has been
serving Ridgewood and its
neighboring communities since 1976, has
closed its doors to seniors amid COVID-19
fears, it has still found a way to serve its
constituents.
Before the center’s closing, but aft er
the pandemic started, seniors would
come in one door and out the other as
they picked up their meals. But due to
social distancing measures, this plan
has changed.
Now, PCSC — a provider of NYC Meals
on Wheels — has been delivering meals
to its 1,600-member list since it had to
stop its grab-and-go program last week
at the request of NYC offi cials amid fears
of seniors congregating. Each delivery
van is delivering about 80 to 100 meals
on average.
“It’s a lot of work, and of course our staff
has fears themselves because they’re
out in the community delivering,” said
Barbara Toscano, executive director of
PCSC.
Toscano said that the drivers are on
the frontlines every day they go out
and that the senior center is trying to
maintain a balance between keeping
the staff safe and serving the needs of
the community.
Drivers practice social distancing to
protect themselves and the seniors they
serve by calling the clients rather than
interacting with them when the meals
are delivered.
The closing not only has eff ects on
logistics such as meals, but also on the
seniors in general who fi nd the center to
be their second home and rely on it for
social interaction.
PCSC is known for its cooking,
health programs, trips and recreation,
among other services such as health
insurance counseling and mental health
counseling.
“We have so many things going on
here … everything was canceled,” said
Toscano.
Toscano said that while she is not sure
of the longterm impact that COVID-19
will have on the senior center, she is
trying to “keep ahead of the curve” when
thinking about what is going on.
PCSC is the largest senior center in the
area, with anywhere from 200 to 300
seniors in the building at any one time.
Seniors are in the sect of the population
that are at higher risk of contracting
the coronavirus.
Group gatherings have been restricted
with multiple changes to the number
allowed to publicly gather by both Gov.
Cuomo’s Offi ce and recommendations by
President Donald J. Trump.
With administrative staff still working
behind the shuttered doors, Toscano said
it is “really strange” to be in the center
without the seniors, adding that the staff
misses them and cares what is going on
with the senior population they serve.
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
