As COVID-19 Spreads, Meals On Wheels Adapts To Serve Seniors

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2020/03/02J1349.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:576;s:4:"file";s:19:"2020/03/02J1349.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"02J1349-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-300x300.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"02J1349-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"1";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => United Way of Central Alabama
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1647281242 
1584720589

Meals on Wheels delivers food to nearly 3,000 senior citizens in Jefferson County, almost a third of whom are home-bound. Karla Lawrence, who oversees the program, says they rely heavily on volunteers to deliver daily meals, but a lot of them are also elderly and at high risk for COVID-19.

“You know, a lot of our senior volunteers aren’t going to be able to continue volunteering like they do daily,” Lawrence says, “and so we need other individuals to fill those gaps.”

She says recruiting new volunteers is a top priority and many people have already stepped up to help. Lawrence says the program is also working to serve additional senior citizens who are currently on a waiting list. She says the coronavirus could further increase demand, since all senior citizens are encouraged to stay home. 

In response, Meals on Wheels announced Friday that it is changing its delivery system. Rather than one hot meal every day, volunteers will now deliver seven meals once a week. 

“Because they are so vulnerable and we want to limit our exposure to those seniors,” Lawrence says, “while continuing to provide the meals to them so that they do not go hungry.”

They are also giving seniors a 21-day supply of “shelf stable meals” in case delivery has to stop at any point. 

Lawrence says another challenge they face is that many senior centers are closing. Typically, more than half of Meals on Wheels’ recipients pick up their food from these kinds of places. She says they are working to establish replacement pick-up sites, and if needed, they will deliver these meals door to door. 

Many nonprofits are feeling similar pressures due to the spread of the coronavirus.

“We’re stressed,” says Drew Langloh, president of United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA). “Our budgets are stressed. Our operating budgets are stressed. And at the same time, we’re being asked to do more, with less.”

At a press conference Friday, Isabel Rubio, director of the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, said the coronavirus is “hitting the Latino community like a bombshell.” 

A representative with the American Red Cross said they face a “severe shortage” of blood donations due to thousands of blood drives cancelled across the country.

In response to the growing need, UWCA announced Friday the creation of a Community Crisis Fund to help people and nonprofits who are struggling financially due to the pandemic. 

Officials say any individual looking for help can call 2-1-1 to get connected to area resources.

 

How Alabama’s first commuted death sentence this century came about

Robin "Rocky" Myers has been on Alabama’s death row for more than 30 years. Then, on February 28, he became the first Alabamian this century to have his death sentence commuted. 

Steve Reich has always been to able to hear the pulse

The 88-year-old composer, who talks as fast as the interlocking phrases of his music, looks back on crucial moments in a career that moved minimalism into the mainstream.

There’s a lot to unpack in ‘Black Bag’ — a witty, sexy spy thriller

Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender play a high-ranking spy couple in Steven Soderbergh's new film. Black Bag offers Bond-style globe-trotting intrigue and marital dramedy.

Photos: Across the U.S., sky gazers marvel at the blood moon lunar eclipse

As the moon moved through the shadow of the Earth, it was also being illuminated by light from the sun — causing the moon to appear as if dipped in a deep red hue in a stunning celestial sight.

Hamas says it’s willing to release the five American hostages in Gaza

Hamas, the militant group the U.S. has labeled as terrorists, says it's willing to release the one living American hostage and bodies of four others it's held in Gaza since the 2023 attacks in Israel.

Dorothy Thompson: The journalist who warned us about Hitler

Dorothy Thompson saw the rise of Nazi Germany as a foreign correspondent in Berlin. A new series from Radio Diaries tells the story of Thompson's career as a radio broadcaster.

More Coronavirus Coverage