We’ll get right into it: Osceola County Meals on Wheels needs your help.
The COVID-19 pandemic hurt in a number of ways. It more than doubled the number of elderly who were shut in by the lockdown pandemic and not able to go out grocery shopping. Thus, the number of routes needed to be covered increased — but some of those drivers are seniors themselves who may not have felt comfortable being out in public, or developed health problems themselves.
This is not a local problem — Meals on Wheels America reports eight out of 10 local programs are still serving more home-delivered meals than they were prior to the pandemic, and food, gas and operations costs are soaring due to inflation.
The month of March is annually important to Meals on Wheels (MOW). It celebrates March for Meals Month, commemorating Congress’ passage of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, which provides funding for nutrition services for seniors and helps support programs like Meals on Wheels. It was signed in 1972, so this year’s celebration has been a 50th anniversary.
Locally, the Osceola Council on Aging, through which Osceola County’s MOW is run, holds its March for Meals benefit 5K, which was on March 12. Last week, held its annual Community Champions event, where community leaders ride along on a MOW route and drop off a day’s worth of hot and cold food to its clients, and show how it brightens the day of all involved. Both events were canceled or held with COVID health restrictions the last two years.
Wilda Belisle, the Council’s Senior Vice President of Nutrition, keeps the Osceola MOW program rolling — and it hasn’t been easy. The client has gone from 275 to 525, and it was higher at the height of the pandemic.
“We don’t have enough volunteers for all those routes now,” said Belisle, noting some very helpful ones are able to doubleup. And there’s a need for volunteers in all parts of the county.
“But it’s the best hour of your day,” she said. “You may be the only visitor they have all day, which makes it all that important.
Typically, each volunteer delivers one day a week, and most routes have eight to 10 clients. Routes generally take 60-90 minutes to complete. But delivery drivers can also serve as a lifeline — if a resident doesn’t answer when they normally would, drivers and the Council have phone numbers and emergency contacts to check on the client.
Cristian Choong is Belisle’s assistant the Council on Aging.
“This is a great program, these seniors aren’t fortunate enough to have family to look in on them. We come out not to just bring meals but to give them the interaction they deserve,” he said. “Their smiles back at you are the reward, they are grateful to see a smiling face and someone to talk to. They make your day.”
St. Cloud Mayor Nathan Blackwell was one of the Community Champions at last week’s event. It was his first time out with Meals on Wheels, but is very aware of the program through his Cornerstone Church ministry.
“We have members who run those routes. It’s about touching a life. Many of these folks don’t have family in the area. It’s not just a meal, but a smile and a kind word and a few minutes of conversation, that can change a life.”
The Council also needs volunteers to help package up meals from the Barney E. Veal Center off U.S. 192 just east of Kissimmee.
“You tell me what you can do, and I’ll find you a role,” Belisle said.
THE DETAILS: Reach out to Belisle at 407-729-9085, or email belislew@osceola-coa.com, to start brightening some days.
