Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver extra food in front of winter storm
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on January 3, 2018 3:39 PM
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A volunteer for Meals on Wheels loads up a vehicle to make deliveries in September of 2017.
When there's a threat of bad weather, people usually head to the store to stock up on supplies. But what about those who are homebound and normally receive food from Meals on Wheels?
Brownie Doss, director of older adult services with WAGES, said the agency anticipated not being able to make deliveries Thursday or Friday, so today, volunteers who deliver the hot meals also took bagged meals to recipients.
"In anticipation of bad weather, we got together bagged meals with the help of several Headstart staff so we could get the bagged meals out with the hot meals today (Wednesday)," she said. "The bags included things like soup, crackers, hot chocolate and other food items, enough for two days."
A total of 310 bagged meals were delivered to Meals on Wheels recipients. And volunteers delivering them also checked to make sure recipients still had water and heat.
"We try to do this whenever there is bad weather," Doss said. "But sometimes bad weather happens so quickly that we don't have a chance to deliver extra food items."
She said food for bagged meals has to be special ordered because there is no storage space at WAGES for nonperishable foods.
"This time we got lucky and could order the food from U.S. Foods, one of our regular suppliers," Doss said. "It was not a normal delivery day for us, but they made a special delivery and got the food to us.
"We want to make sure the ones who rely on these meals have something in the house to eat in case of bad weather. You don't know if we could end up with ice and the power goes out. Then they end up with staples they can still eat. And if the weather is not that bad, then they have extra food to eat."
Meals on Wheels also has an automated call system to let meal recipients know if there will not be a delivery.
"We would also encourage people to go check on meal recipients to make sure they have food and also heat and water," Doss said.