GREENSBORO, N.C. — Lots of things stopped when COVID hit, there's a long list. There were no services like getting your nails done, no haircuts, even bulky item trash pick-up wasn't happening! There was a service that never stopped, Meals On Wheels.
Senior Resources of Guilford didn’t just continue the Meals On Wheels program, they grew it. Their client list increased by 32%.
Over the last year, Meals On Wheels has delivered 101,616 meals to 904 clients. Before COVID, there were 686 clients. This is in Guilford County alone.
“It's like home-cooked. I am so very thankful for it,” said Virginia Pleasant.
COVID changed the way meals were delivered. Instead of delivering hot meals five days a week, they delivered the same meals made by Golden Corral, but the meals were frozen and they delivered all the meals on one stop a week.
One visit a week. It may not sound like a lot, but for many Meals On Wheels clients, it's the only contact they had with the outside world.
“This lady, she has a neighbor that keeps up with her, and that is good, but I had one client who told me last week, ‘Steve you know you're the only person I'm going to talk to today’. And it hits your heart to hear how isolated people are,” said Steve Carney, a Meals On Wheels volunteer.
Volunteers may only see their clients once a week, but those volunteers call them throughout the week to check on them.
In the next couple of weeks, Meals On Wheels will be gearing up to resume 5-day a week delivery. The greatest need is volunteers. Whether you have time or a monetary donation to make you can start with Senior Resources of Guilford.
You can also go to the national Meals On Wheels site to see about the program in your area.