40 october 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition COMMUNITY NEWS Rising costs, limited mobility, and isolation make hunger and loneliness a daily reality for many of South Florida’s older adults. But as John and Lynn Offerdahl quickly discovered, God’s solution isn’t a one-man game. :987654342104/.0-4,.1+-5,4*)4-(54'&%$(870#4")77417,434%&&!5,4 +&.421)04-&4 8 54*16!4-&4-(546& 78-)4-(1-425%6& 5,417,4 0 $$&.-5,4 04104254.1805,4& .4+1 8%)417,4%1 76(5,4& .4 .50-1 .17-0 4 (57425425.5487 8-5,4-&4*54$1.-4&+4+55,87 4 80&%1-5,40578&.04874 .&21.,4 & 7-)#4254!7524-(1-4 0-4%8!54 874+&&-*1%%#48-4-1!50414-51 4-&4287 4 4 &(74 ++5.,1(% Through an innovative partnership of government agencies, private foundations, local restaurants, and community volunteers, Hand-Off Meals for Seniors pro6543210/.-5,34123+5*)21.((3221'*1.1&33%$21&*)'#1*"1")32#!1+/')5'5*/21 3.-21.+41.1 3+/5+31(*++3('5*+1'*12* 3*+31&#*1(.)32 A government grant through the Older Americans Act covers much of the meal (*2'2 1 ++13 -.5+2!1 #3+1&31-**%341.'1&#.'123+5*)21#.41' 5(.-- 1 33+1 3''5+ !1 5'1&.21-*&3) )5(34!1 )*(32234!15+2'5'/'5*+.-1"**41 &31&.+'341.1&. 1'*143-563)1 "**41'#.'1-**%21 **4!1'.2'321 **4!1.+41521 **41"*)1'#3 1 *#+1.+41 ++1&*)%1 &5'#1.1)3 52'3)341453'5(5.+1.+41'#35)1 ""3)4.#-$21 "" #3 )5--12'.""1'*12*/)(31'#31 ")32#32'!1 *2'1+/')53+' 43+231.+41. 3'5 5+ 15+ )3453+'2!1(#1(* 31.'1.1 )5(3 31 .)'+3)1&5'#1(* /+5' 1"/+43)21-5%31 #31 5 1 *).+1 */+4.'5*+!1 * /+5' 1 */+4.'5*+1*"1 )*&.)4!1 5. 51 *- #5+21 */+4.'5*+!1 5+ 1.+41 52. 5-5' 1 32*/)(31 3+'3)1.+41*'#3)21'*1(*63)1'#31 )5(31 . 12*123+5*)1+35 # *)21 3'1'#3163) 1 best in every meal.” The passion for excellence and God-inspired creativity doesn’t stop once the meals are planned and packaged. Lynn shares, “As part of a small pilot program, *#+1.+41 1&3+'1&5'#1.1 * 1.+41#3)1'33+14./ #'3)1'*143-563)1"**41'*1.1#* 3- */+41)3'5)341'3.(#3) 1 '1&.21* 65*/21'#31)3-.'5*+2#5 1 3.+'1 *)31'#.+1 /2'1'#31 3.-2 '#31'5 31'#3 12 3+'1'* 3'#3)1&.21'#31#5 #-5 #'1*"1'#31&33%1"*)1.--1'#)331*"1 '#3 1 1%+3&1 *41&.21(.--5+ 1/21'*1,+41.1&. 1'*12/2'.5+1'#.'1)3-.'5*+.-1(*++3(- '5*+1363+1+1'#31 )* ). 13 .+4341'*123)631 123+5*)213.(#1&33% 1 #5"'5+ 1")* 1.1"3&143-563) 14)563)21'*1#/+4)3421*"16*-/+'33)21'.%321.--1*"1/2 (8048042(5.54)& 46& 5487410414 &% 7-55. Volunteer drivers can be an individual, a couple, family or friends. They’re students (volunteering is great for com- /+5' 123)65(31#*/)2 !1 /25+322 3* -3!1.+41)3'5)332 .+ *+31&#*1(.+1 5631.+1 #*/)1.1&33%1'*1 33'1.1+3341.+41 .%31.1(*++3('5*+ 1 +1 *4$213(*+* !1'#31-56321 changed are on both sides of the hand-off. : (804 & 5 *5.#4( 7,.5,04&+49& -(4 %&.8,14 6( .6(50428%%4,&414 78/5,405.850461%%5,4"& 54 %8!54 50 0 4 5 .546& 8--5,4-&4%& 5#4$.1)#4 17,405. 54%8!54 50 0 434$.1)42(1-4(1$$5704 -(.& (4-(5054%&61%4& -.516(504%8!54 17, ++4 51%04+&.49578&.0461$- .504& .46& 78-) 04 8 1 871-8&74-&4*5414$1.-4&+4-(54!87 ,& 4&+4 &,4 &87 4+&.-(#47&-4 0-4874 & 5 *5.4* -4 5 5.)4 &7-(4&+4-(54)51. – Eddie Copeland, Executive Director of Church United : )4,1) -& ,1)4%8+541041745%56-.861%457 8755. 87 40- ,57-48040- 6!4 $428-(414* 76(4&+4(1.,4 6%10050417,4.50$&708*8%8-850 4 74 5,750 ,1)0#4,5%8 5.87 4 51%04-&4 8.81 4 8 504 54 1745061$54+.& 4-(1-4$.500 .5 49(5 04 4 2(86(4804/ 54-8 504 )41 5#4* -4-(541 54 ,8++5.576548047&4*8 4,51% 4 5--87 4-&4!7&24 0578&.04%8!54 8.81 4*.87 04 &)4-&4 )4%8+5 — Woody : )4 4+1 &.8-54 51%4804-(5401%1,428-(4 0(.8 $417,4 4804-(5401%1,428-(401% &7 4346174 0 1%%)4 1!54 4 51%04& -4 &+4516(46&7-1875. 49(54%51704+&.21.,4-&42(80$5.#4:34,&7 -4%8!54-(54,1.!4 .55740- ++4 1. %1 40&434 0-4$86!48-4& - 4—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are ready to be delivered by caring volunteers. John reminds us, “In football, a hand-off is a pivotal connection to move a team '*&.)4165('*) 1 5'#1 .+4 ""1 3.-21"*)1 3+5*)2!1'#.'1#.+4 *""1521'#31 * 3+'1 .16*-/+'33)143-563) 14)563)12'3 21/ *+3 *+ *+3!1".(3 '* ".(3 '*1(.)) 1#* 31 .()*221'#31 *.-1-5+3 1 #31'5 31521+*& "*)1 */1'*1 *631*""1'#312543-5+321.+41*+'*1 '#31,3-41 16*-/+'33)5+ 1*+31#*/)1.1&33%1'*143-563)1Hand-Off Meals for Seniors in our community. To learn more about serving as a volunteer delivery driver or to sign up to make this lifechanging hand-off, go to HandOffMeals.com or click the QR code.
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