Southampton And East Hampton Towns Providing Assistance To Seniors And Other Community Members In Need

A Seniors Assistance Program for Southampton Town residents will begin on Tuesday, March 24. It will assist homebound persons and non-driving residents with transportation to and from essential services such as food shopping, banking, non-emergency medical visits, visits to governmental agencies, and hospital visitation of a sick spouse. To utilize the service, which will be available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., advance reservations are required. For more information, call 631-728-1110.

Additionally, homebound seniors can request Home Delivered Meals, which can be provided on a temporary or long-term basis, five days per week. For more information, contact the Director of Senior Services at 631-728-1235.

In an effort to limit senior citizens’ potential exposure to the Coronavirus, the Town of East Hampton’s Senior Center closed on Tuesday, March 10. However, the Town of East Hampton’s Human Services Department will continue to provide assistance to seniors and other community members in need. In coordination with community agencies, the Department will provide services such as delivering meals, procuring medicines, and connecting residents with additional vital services. Bilingual staffers will be available to provide information in English and in Spanish. The Human Services Department is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To inquire about services, call the Department at 631-329-6939.

Starting on Monday, March 23, East Hampton residents 60-years-old and older are able to pick up five frozen meals curbside at the Senior Center on Springs Fireplace Road. To take advantage of the service, residents must call ahead to arrange for pickup. The Human Services staff can also drop off the meals at a client’s residence. Additionally, the Human Services Department is advising residents to utilize Meals on Wheels, which provides a sandwich for lunch and a hot meal for dinner.

Students under the age of 18-years-old, from any district, may take advantage of “Grab and Go” breakfast and lunch meals, which are being distributed by the East Hampton School District at the East Hampton High School parking lot on Mondays through Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. Those whose last name begins with A through M can pick up meals between 9 and 10 a.m., while those whose last name starts with N through Z may pick up meals from 10 to 11 a.m.

“As cases of coronavirus are not expected to peak for several more weeks, I urge everyone to remain calm and cautious. Safeguard your own health, and that of others, by staying home, and if you must go out, limit your exposure to other people by keeping a distance of at least 6 feet. Wash your hands and disinfect surfaces frequently,” East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc advised in an March 20 update on COVID-19 Coronavirus situation. “We all need to work together to limit the spread of coronavirus and reduce the demands on health care services.

“I am in daily contact with county and state officials and we are working to address the impacts of the pandemic on the community, from identifying locations for satellite hospital services to planning for ways to assist individuals and businesses economically affected by the shutdowns of workplaces and businesses,” Van Scoyoc said. “In addition, I have reached out to local food store owners to discuss with them the measures they are taking to sanitize and disinfect and to allow customers to maintain a safe, six-foot distance from one another. I also requested that they institute dedicated store hours for senior citizens and first responders to shop, in order to limit their possible exposure to coronavirus, which a number of stores have already done.

“Our supply of food and other goods is secure at this time, though overbuying is causing some temporary shortages. Regional and local suppliers have assured us that the supply chain is dependable. Please do not buy more than you need, so that goods remain available for everyone in the community,” Van Scoyoc concluded. “There are a number of community resources available to those in need of food or other kinds of help. Please call the town Human Services Department at 631-329-6939 for information. In difficult times, our community has always come together to work cooperatively. The situation is changing from day to day, and I am working daily to assure the safety and security of all in East Hampton.”