This occurred after the city pulled the plug on its contract with Let's Celebrate, the non-profit organization that had been responsible for preparing and delivering meals to the seniors since 1997. The city said they did so in response to health violations cited in two state reports in July.
But Let's Celebrate Executive Director Lester Lewis-Powder has criticized the city's Department of Health and Human Services for maneuvering for the city to take over the program. He said his organization was doing a fine job.
Recently, State Assemblyman Louis Manzo (D-31st Dist.) sent a nine-page letter to Mayor Jerramiah Healy with a timeline of the events leading to Let's Celebrate's contract being terminated. In the letter, Manzo criticized the circumstances that led to the change, saying that the state's Department of Health and Human Services did not order the city to take over the meals program.
However, Manzo could not be reached for comment on the letter last week, after repeated calls.
The silver lining might be that seniors and administrators at senior centers who were surveyed about the city's new program last week were very positive about the change.Manzo's letter says hold the celebration
In Manzo's letter to Healy dated Aug. 17, which was obtained by the Reporter, Manzo, a former Jersey City health inspector, included a timeline that goes back to May of this year.
Manzo started with Health and Human Services employee Jerome Colwell, who requested in May that the Jersey City Health Department close Let's Celebrate's kitchen for unsanitary conditions. Colwell was then informed that health department inspectors did not observe any conditions that would warrant closing and that the New Jersey State Health Department is responsible for inspecting the kitchen.
Manzo then, in the letter, went through various events that led to the city's takeover of the meals program, including the July 21 visit from a state nutrition monitoring team and the July 26-27 inspection from state health inspector Helena Oh, both of which factored into the city's decision to end the contract with Let's Celebrate.
But Manzo pointed out that based on a conversation with a representative with the NJ Dept. of Health and Human Services, they did not order the city or the county's health department to close the kitchen, and they did not approve the contingency plan that the city put together.
Manzo also took the city to task for currently using vehicles that are not refrigerated to deliver perishable food on a hot summer day, and for contracting with a non-state inspected vendor to provide the meals.
Maria Pignataro, Healy's spokesperson, said that Healy read the letter but disagreed with some of the information.
Pignataro also said that city Health and Human Services officials said there are errors in Manzo's letter, but she did not cite what they were. Seniors are in celebratory mood
The seven sites across Jersey City where food is distributed are: Boyd McGuiness Senior Center on Kennedy Boulevard, Maureen Collier Center on Bergen Avenue, Ocean Towers on Ocean Avenue, Berry Gardens on Danforth Avenue, Villa Borinquen on Manila Avenue, Paterson Street Center on Paterson Street, and Grace Church Van Vorst on Erie Street.
Seniors at those centers receive hot meals once a day at lunchtime under the city's new program catered by local restaurants that are contracted with the city for 90 days.
Homebound seniors, who total about 900, are delivered three frozen meals a day that are provided by Whitson Culinary Group out of Huntington Station, Long Island.
They can defrost each meal at the appropriate time.
The city says this is more efficient than trying to deliver three meals a day.
Employees at some of those sites were ecstatic about the new meals program.
"Super-fantastic" is how Barbara Capozzoli described the city's efforts. Capozzoli is the staff nutritionist for the Paterson Street Center. "There were 20 to 25 people at the center here who were initially served by Let's Celebrate, but since the city has taken over, my numbers have increased because they like the hot meals, which are tasty and delicious," said Capozzoli.
The hot meals for the Paterson Street Center are catered by Renato's Restaurant on Central Avenue.
Cappozoli added, "With Let's Celebrate, we would get chicken legs that were gray and vegetables that were dry."
Joyce Davidson, who runs the senior program at Grace Church Van Vorst, was also impressed with the city's service.
"The seniors here went on a trip recently and the city was kind enough to provide sandwiches and chips. As far as the meals, the vegetables taste like vegetables and seniors can ask for adjustments in their menu without a problem," said Davidson.
Mildred Kelly is an 82-year-old homebound senior living on Kennedy Boulevard and Fairview Avenue, and is stricken by Parkinson's disease, emphysema and other ailments. She is also satisfied with the changes.
"It's all very good," she said. "They bring the frozen food, and they are nice to bring fresh fruit and bread. And I get little packets of coffee that I never received before."
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