Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island partners with Millonzi Fine Catering to deliver healthy meals to seniors in need.
This is part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island's healthy meals program that's offered to its customers that have Medicare Advantage plans and also qualify for Medicaid. This is known as the Duals plan.
"Food is health Barb and health is food so the more that we can do to make and to take care of one's total health is really what we're about," said Melissa Cummings, chief customer officer at BCBSRI.
Kevin Millonzi, chef and owner of Millonzi catering in West Warwick, comes up with these meal care packages.
"A very big emphasis on fresh--a lot of times local--very simply prepared. We don't add any sodium, we don't add any additional fats, all natural food products," said Millonzi.
There's milk and bread, fresh produce and more.
"You know things like egg salad, tuna fish, chicken salad--home style things every easy to eat," said Millonzi.
Once packed meals are delivered, no charge, to places like West Warwick Manor and folks like Jason Plante, who at 48-yers-old, has a very rare progressive neurological disorder. His mode of transportation is a wheelchair, so it's hard for him to get out and about.
"It helps tremendously because without this I wouldn't be getting vegetables and the fresh produce that I need," said Plante.
"It means I have extra food," said Jackie Rajotte, one of his neighbors. "It helps because our food stamps don't go as far as they should. With the economy now, it's even worse and just getting this extra help, it does help us."
This free healthy meal delivery is monthly for those who qualify.
"We do about a thousand a month on an average basis," said Cummings.
During the holidays, they help another 3,000 customers.
They also get a special care package with toiletries that include everything from toothbrushes and toothpaste to bandages.