Caterer to the Jewish community steps in to help elderly, frail during pandemic
.jpg "Caterer Kim Matsil works in her kitchen, preparing food that she would later deliver to people in the community who are elderly or otherwise homebound.")
We’re all trying to stay at home and do our social distancing, but many are looking forward to our approved trips to the grocery store. But what happens if it really isn’t safe for you to leave your house, even to get food?
Local caterer Kim Matsil, of Kim’s Kreations, is stepping in to help a handful of folks who may be elderly or immunocompromised — those who really shouldn’t venture out of the house. It can be extra difficult for these folks to get food because many of them keep kosher.
“I have a lot of friends that are elderly; I’ve gotten to know a lot of those people through the Jewish Community Center and through my synagogue and stuff. I know that they’re not supposed to go out,” Matsil said.
“I have a neighbor. She was in the hospital. I took over some food for her. She shouldn’t be leaving the house — not that she can’t —but she’s been in a compromising position.”
An experienced caterer to the Jewish community, Matsil is making kosher-style meals and delivering them to people’s doorsteps to help.
“I found myself with no jobs to do until mid-May and needed something to do to keep myself busy and sane,” she said. “I needed something to do because I’m not used to having any spare time.”
When she realized there might be a need for her help, she called around to some of her friends to check on them.
“Some of them they have people that are helping in their houses, but everyone needs a break,” Matsil said. “I purchased a lot of kosher chicken and salmon (for canceled events), and I’m trying to be creative with what I have, picking fresh ingredients here and there.”
Matsil’s friend, Marlene Katz, helped connect her with a few people who might need her services.
“She had all of this extra food, and when we’re in the condition we’re in, this did not surprise me that this is what she would do. She’s a very giving and loving and caring person,” Katz said.
As of last week, Matsil was delivering to 11 households. She started her deliveries March 14. Matsil calls to let them know she’s coming, then leaves the parcel on the step so that no one has to have any direct contact.
“I’m trying to focus on people who might need a bit of a smile when they open their door and they see a bag of food,” she said.
Right now, she isn’t charging for the food, although friends have made some donations to help her be able to keep doing this for longer. For Passover, coming up April 8, she may have to charge just a little bit, because Passover ingredients are much more expensive.
“The stuff for Passover is kind of extraordinary; it’s one of the most expensive holidays. If someone can’t pay, I’ll give them whatever they need,” Matsil said.
Some of the recent food items she’s made for people include noodle kugel, chocolate chip cookies and salmon croquettes.
“I just like making people smile. I like to make people happy, and when they have good food in front of them, it makes the world go round,” she said.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Caterer to the Jewish community steps in to help elderly, frail during pandemic."