Revolution Foods Partners with The Loop Village to Offer Seniors Free Virtual Community with Take-Home Meals

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May 02, 2024, 10:00 ET

Creative Partnership with YWCA of San Gabriel Valley Expands Meal Access, Reduces Isolation

COMMERCE, Calif., May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Revolution Foods, one of California's largest providers of healthy meals to communities in need, has partnered with The Loop Village to offer seniors in the San Gabriel Valley a free virtual community alongside grab-and-go meals. Seniors 60 and over can pick up seven frozen Revolution Foods meals per week at designated San Gabriel Valley senior centers and join more than 120 live online classes and events through Loop.

At a time of rising inflation and food insecurity, this partnership expands access to meals for seniors who struggle to get to senior centers daily for group dining, while also providing online learning and socializing. Administered by the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley, the program is offered at senior centers in Monterey Park, Altadena, Azusa, La Puente, Duarte, Hacienda Heights, Montebello, Pasadena, San Dimas, Temple City and Walnut.

"Revolution Foods is committed to making healthy meals more accessible for seniors aging in place at home – and helping ensure they don't miss out on vital social activities," said Dominic Engels, CEO of Revolution Foods. "Through this innovative partnership with Loop and the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley, we're able to provide meals to a larger number of food-insecure seniors, reduce isolation and also develop a model that other senior centers throughout the state can replicate."

Revolution Foods' grab-and-go meals offered to San Gabriel Valley seniors are funded in part by the Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging, through the Older Americans Act of 1965. During the pandemic, when it was unsafe to host group gatherings, funding for congregate meals at senior centers was reallocated to frozen grab-and-go meals. Once pandemic restrictions loosened and group meals were permitted again, the government discontinued funding for take-home meals, rendering many seniors without the convenience and flexibility of weekly meal pickups.

Revolution Foods and Loop Village developed a creative solution to continue grab-and-go meals for seniors and still meet state Department of Aging requirements for congregate meal funding. Instead of requiring seniors to eat their meals together at senior centers, they can socialize at Loop's virtual cafe while eating their Revolution Food meals at home. This service is bundled into one offering, which makes it simple for seniors and senior centers to navigate.

"One of our challenges coming out of COVID was being able to continue to provide supplemental food while also meeting the guidelines of the state," said Christie Valenzuela-Ruiz, Administrative Manager of Senior Services at the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley. "When we saw the Loop platform, we really felt a connection. We've gotten nothing but great feedback on this partnership."

The Loop Village offers opportunities for seniors to stay engaged from the comfort of their homes. Live, online class offerings range from tai chi to virtual world tours.

"Feeding the mind, body, and soul is incredibly important," said Margot Merrick, CEO and Co-founder of Loop. "Loop offers cooking, music, technology and exercise classes via Zoom for seniors. Through our partnership with Revolution Foods, we can also ensure these seniors are well fed."

Revolution Foods aims to expand this joint program to additional senior centers across Los Angeles County. Senior centers in Covina, San Gabriel, Baldwin Park, La Verne and other cities in the San Gabriel Valley are expected to join the program in the coming weeks.

About Revolution Foods:
Revolution Foods is on a mission to provide equitable access to healthy and nutritious meals for all. Serving more than 35 million meals annually, a diverse team of over 800 employees freshly prepares and delivers meals directly to K-12 schools and senior communities across California and Nevada. Founded in 2006, Revolution Foods is a certified B Corporation and Public Benefit Corporation. For more information, visit revolutionfoods.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About The Loop Village:
The Loop Village is an online virtual content and engagement platform for seniors. Founded in 2020, the platform offers one-on-one virtual companionship, more than 120 guided live events and classes, and a virtual cafe so no one ever eats alone. For more information, visit https://theloopvillage.com/.

About YWCA of San Gabriel Valley: YWCA of San Gabriel Valley is a social change and multiservice organization located in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County. Through a variety of services, the organization promotes overall well-being, health equity, racial justice, healthy and violence free communities and a better quality of life for all. To learn more, visit https://www.ywcasgv.org/.

SOURCE Revolution Foods