Serenity Hospice Opens Pantry

By Jackie Devereaux

PALM SPRINGS, CA – The Serenity Hospice of the Desert is opening a new branch to its facility called the Serenity Pantry offering patients food assistance on Friday, Nov. 16 at 11 a.m.

“We hope that our patients are willing to come for food, if they need it,” said Jim McDonnell, a registered nurse and liaison for the hospice.

“This has been an overlooked situation, . “After our aide, Janice, asked a patient, ‘Do you have food in the house?’ and received a no answer, we decided to open another sub-division to our facility,” McDonnell added. “Janice started purchasing cases of Ensure to give to the patients.”

“When someone is discharged to their home, they often arrive at the household with no available food. We wish to reach out during this transition and provide a few days of nourishment.”

A February 2009 UCLA study revealed that 50 percent of our senior citizens in Riverside County lacked sufficient income to feed themselves. “Our goal is to help provide these folks a supplemental supply of groceries to ensure their comfort and dignity, he said.

To attend the grand opening of the Serenity Pantry, please RSVP by Nov. 9. If you’d like to help the Serenity Pantry, please call, 760-325-8718. Serenity Hospice of the Desert is located at 777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Ste. 309 in Palm Springs.

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