Even during the most difficult months of COVID restrictions over the past year, the Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers made sure nutritious meals made their way to the vulnerable of the community.
The program, which is operated by Bradford Regional Medical Center, is now reaching out to the community for additional volunteer drivers to ensure the elderly, shut-ins and those with disabilities in several surrounding communities within McKean County are fed.
Stacy Williams, director of volunteer services and community outreach, and soon to become executive director of the Bradford Hospital Foundation, said volunteer drivers are needed to deliver meals to Eldred, Duke Center, Smethport, Mount Jewett, Shinglehouse and Kane. Williams said the expanded program, which began in July, was particularly important to a number of people in need of nutritious meals each week. Gas cards are available to help drivers with that expense.
“We’re hanging in there, but over 80% of our participants receive free meals” because they qualify for help, Williams said of the program. “We’re serving the elderly and others that are in need; I think we only have one or two (people) who qualify for discounted meals.”
Additionally, there are a few who qualify to pay the full amount of a meal which is $3.98, a fee that hasn’t been raised in several years. The meals are prepared by staff in the hospital kitchen and packaged by older individuals with the PathStone program.
“We’ve had participants who have come (into the program) who are recuperating from an illness or surgery and only need our help until they get back on their feet,” she continued. “They’ll call us and say, ‘I’d rather it go to someone who is in more need than I am.’ People are real nice about that and don’t try to take advantage of us.”
In 2020, the program helped an average of 60 participants who received 21,744 meals.
During the pandemic, meals dropped off at homes were reduced to deliveries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“They get hot meals on those three days and Thursdays they also get freezer meals to last them each day up until the next delivery on Tuesday,” Williams explained.
She said the expansion of meal deliveries to additional communities in the county was made possible through a Human Services Development Fund grant provided by the Department of Human Services.
“What we’re hoping for is to be able to find drivers that would be interested in delivering” to those communities, she remarked, noting the county is hopeful of receiving an additional grant to help with the deliveries outside the Bradford area.
“Our two largest supporters are the United Way of the Bradford Area and the Blaisdell Foundation,” she added. “We have smaller grants we’ve received to help offset the expense of the free meals.”
Williams said the program is hopeful of additional drivers because “we know there are more people out there who are in need.”
She said those who would like to receive meals, or people interested in serving as volunteer drivers, may call her office at (814)362-8288 during the week. Williams said she can help meal recipients fill out the applications, which include proof of income, over the phone. A program coordinator will visit the home for an intake appointment and to obtain additional information.
