The methodology and procedure applied in food distribution depends on the location. I attended a food distribution process that was conducted by the Chaldean and Middle-Eastern Social Services which is part of the San Ysidro Health Center. The primary purpose of my site visit was to confirm if the agency was well equipped to carry out the tasks mentioned in my proposal so that it can be executed successfully. Over 1700 immigrants and refugees receive services from CMSS every year. The organization is found in El Cajon, East San Diego. It serves homeless people, low-income individuals, refugees, immigrants, and needy people. The CMSS agency offers its services to children, youth, adults, and the elderly. The services offered include medical services as it has a clinic on the first floor of its building. The medical services entail mental and behavioral health, family medicine, providing therapeutic counseling to the Middle-Eastern refugees who have suffered trauma from witnessing a war, and enrollment assistance. Also, they provide social services which entail public assistance and other services like weekly fresh food distribution and engaging in the filling of applications for non-English speakers. Moreover, they have other services that deal with supporting the cultural sensitivity training to the employees of the agency, acculturation, translation, and interpretation, and case management for victims of torture.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) is the required training for the people who provide the services in this agency. The volunteers who distribute the food among refugees and immigrants must be well trained. Ownership of license is not a necessity to the employees since they do not serve hot food. The agency ensures that all the distributed food is fresh. 85 percent of the recipients of the service are seniors and older adults. It is because the families who have children and have a low income are eligible for Cal fresh benefits which ensure that they have the food stamps. Also, the seniors who receive Supplementary Security Income (SSI) receive food weekly because the money they receive from SSI is only $850 per month and it is barely enough to cover their rent.
For this reason, the agency gives them food to help them cater to their food needs. Also, the agency defiantly helps a needy person who asks about the service. The senior and older adults are eligible for the service in case they are immigrants, refugees, homeless, or have a low-income. The agency is located in a place where most of the residents are immigrants and refugees with low income. The more significant section of the society is underserved and hence, do not determine the eligibility of the program. The agency is well known among the people, and they know that whoever is in need can receive the services. However, those who are not aware of the services are left out. The agency allows people who are enrolled to send other people on the day of the distribution. They can only send a person who is 18 and above. The food that is distributed is mainly fresh. It is partly because the Middle-Easterners are not familiar with canned foods. In cases where there is a new type of food being distributed, the volunteers usually provide the recipients with instructions on the type of food and how it should be cooked.
However, the training services are not offered to the individuals at home. The older adults’ access transportation services and these services are not reimbursed since it is a non-profit organization. The older adults receive a lot of services but all of them are in line with what they need, and they apply to them. For instance, they are unable to receive Cal fresh if they are already receiving SSI. However, the delivery of services experience difficulties in mentoring, timing, and transporting. The food distribution is only done at the parking lot of the agency, but the others services can be offered via phone. After the agency became part of the San Ysidro, it received a van which it could use as a form of transportation for the older adults. The agency was founded in 2005 by a grass-roots group of community residents who felt a need to react to the plight of Iraqi and middles Eastern. CMSS receives grants from Feeding America which is an organization that engages in the fight against hunger among people without any discrimination.
The agency continues to receive funding from the County of San Diego and ORR, and it is categorized as Incorporated Non-Profit 501©3. Since the population of El Cajon mainly comprises of Middle-Eastern, the agency has made an effort in ensuring that most of its employees are Middle-Eastern. They speak Chaldean, Arabic, and English. The agency ensures that the drivers speak the language of their clients. However, they face various challenges in their work. Some drivers may fail to wear safety belts since they are not used to it in their nations, and some may be late to pick a particular service. The agency has tried to address the issue of access and barrier based on the available locations. The production of the services is based on the recommendations of the case managers and the request received from the family members or older adults. The food distribution program takes place every Tuesday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon. The service production heavily depends on the grants the agency receives. If the agency is not being funded, then the services are put on hold. It is possible for the program to be extended based on the needs of the clients.
The agency offers its services through care planning, case management assessment, mentoring, public speaking, and education. It ensures that all the volunteers are well trained and have attended the HIPAA orientation. Afterward, the volunteers are considered fit enough to serve. The food distribution program is evaluated starting from the case manager, supervisor, manager, and finally the caregiver. CMSS measures its productivity based on the population of the enrolled participants, the enhancement of the quality of life, and better access to the services.
The individual that I interviewed stated that the program was highly beneficial and that more people should enroll in the agency to enjoy the services it provides. Her name is Nawal, and she was a field instructor. She was extremely helpful and patient. I did not have enough knowledge about the agency and how it functions before I volunteered there. Nawal is the individual who supervises the Food Distribution program.
In conclusion, Food Distribution is an important program that comes to the rescue of the needy older adults. Also, the agency has several useful services that work in support of refugees, the poor, and immigrants.
References
Hollifield, J., Martin, P. L., " Orrenius, P. (Eds.). (2014). Controlling immigration: A global perspective. Stanford University Press.
Ramos, M., Orozovich, P., Moser, K., Phares, C. R., Stauffer, W., " Mitchell, T. (2010). Health of resettled Iraqi refugees-San Diego County, California, October 2007-September 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 59(49), 1614-1618.
Rondinelli, A. J., Morris, M. D., Rodwell, T. C., Moser, K. S., Paida, P., Popper, S. T., " Brouwer, K. C. (2011). Under-and over-nutrition among refugees in San Diego County, California. Journal of immigrant and minority health, 13(1), 161-168.
Sayegh, P., Kellough, J., Otilingam, P. G., " Poon, C. Y. (2013). South Asian and Middle Eastern American older adults: dementia, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders. Clinical Gerontologist, 36(3), 216-240.
Zubaida, S. (2014). Drink, meals and social boundaries. In Food Consumption in Global Perspective (pp. 209-223). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Budget and Narrative
Name:
Budget period from to
Budget Detail
Year 1
Direct cost
Annual
FTE
Total
Personnel
Principal Investigator
$100,000
.10
$10, 000
Manager
$52,000
.20
$10,400
Subtotal
$20,400
Benefits
25%
$5,100
Total Personnel
$25500
Contracted Services
$10,000
Publication
$300
Communications
5%
$50
Travel – Domestic
$50 x 20
$1000
Travel – Foreign
Repairs/Maintenance
Materials and Supplies
Equipment
@$100 x 4
$400
Awards
Participant Support
Stipend
$20 x 10
$200
Travel
Other
Total Subcontract
$11,950
Subcontract >$25,000
Total Direct Costs
$37,450
Indirect Costs
15%
$5617
Total Costs
$43,067
Principal investigator: This individual will be the lead researcher in the grant project. He will be paid a total of $10,000 annually and for the six months contract $10,000/2= $5,000.
The manager: He will be the individual responsible for the directing of the agency, Chaldean and Middle Eastern Social Services. He will oversee the functioning of the program and will work approximately 5 hours per week to conduct conference calls, review monthly report, and sign checks. The manager will receive an annual salary of $ 10,400 and will receive coverage for the six months of the contract $10,400/2= $5200.
Benefits: All the full-time employees will receive an annual salary of $5100 which will include their vocation costs, health insurance, and retirement and it will be covered for the six months of the contract $5100/2= $2550.
Contracted Services: Suppliers on contract to provide the food to be distributed to the refugees on a weekly basis. They will be paid $10,000 annually which will be $5,000 for the six months contract.
Publications: They will include hiring notices, events, and meetings $ 50 x 6= $300.
Travel- domestic: The drivers who will be offering transportation services to older adults. They will be paid $1000 annually and $500 for the six months contract.
Equipment: Equipment will be purchased for the implementation of the program at $100 x 4= $400.
Stipend: Total money to be paid to the public officials for the six months contract $200/2= $100.
Total Direct Costs=$37450
Indirect Costs= $ 5617
