As COVID-19 Spreads, Meals On Wheels Adapts To Serve Seniors
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.
Coco Gauff wins the French Open to claim her 2nd Grand Slam title
The 21-year-old American star battled back over three sets to defeat the world's top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff is the first American to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015.
Israel says it has retrieved the body of a Thai hostage in Gaza
Israel said it had retrieved the body of Nattapong Pinta, who was abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. He had come to Israel to work in agriculture.
A former police chief who escaped from an Arkansas prison is captured
A former police chief and convicted killer known as the "Devil in the Ozarks" was captured by law enforcement 1.5 miles from the prison he escaped from following a nearly two-week-long manhunt.
Should federal rental aid come with a time limit? Here’s how it works in one place
The Trump administration wants to allow a cutoff date for housing subsidies. The plan is deeply controversial, but Delaware offers a potential model for success.
4 takeaways from Erin Patterson’s testimony at her toxic mushroom triple murder trial
Patterson is accused of putting death cap mushrooms in a meal she served her estranged husband's relatives in July 2023, killing three. She took the stand in Week 6 of the trial gripping Australia.
Torture and treason trials: what’s happening in Tanzania?
Tanzania's government is facing growing accusations of repression after prominent human rights defenders say they were beaten and sexually assaulted while in custody.