Demand, costs combine to necessitate Meals on Wheels program waiting list
The combination of higher food costs and increased demand has led the Meals on Wheels of East Texas (MOWET) to create a waiting list for its services.
As of last week that list numbered 450 …
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Demand, costs combine to necessitate Meals on Wheels program waiting list
The combination of higher food costs and increased demand has led the Meals on Wheels of East Texas (MOWET) to create a waiting list for its services.
As of last week that list numbered 450 senior citizens who have requested the service that provides a hot, nutritious lunch five days a week.
There are four MOWET sites in Wood County that serve 183 clients totaling 47,580 meals per year.
Sites include Quitman, Hawkins, Mineola and Winnsboro. Quitman also serves Yantis while Mineola also serves Alba and Golden.
Volunteers contribute about 300 hours per month to prepare and deliver the meals in the county.
The wait list, announced last week, is the organization’s first since 2011.
The cause of the sudden increase in demand is attributed to the rising cost of food, insurance, medications and other resources older and disabled adults need to live independently, according to a news release from MOWET.
With calls pouring in every single day from new people in need combined with increased operations expenses, Meals on Wheels Ministry is struggling to keep up.
“We would love to provide meals to all those in need but with the increase in demand paired with the rising costs of the food we provide and the decrease in funding, we have had to implement the waitlist,” said Executive Director Tiffany Damskov.
The meal delivery service also provides a vital safety check and social interaction for many of their clients.
Taylor Berumen, a six-year meal delivery volunteer and chair-elect on the board of directors, expressed, “It is heartbreaking to know that there are so many older adults in our community who need our services, but we are unable to reach them all due to the increased costs hitting us at the same time as the increased needs.”
Community members are encouraged to help close the gap that government funding does not cover.
A donation of $5 can cover the remaining cost of a single meal for an older adult in need. A $50 donation provides two weeks of meals to an individual in need.
To donate or get involved with Meals on Wheels East Texas, visit the website at MealsonWheelsETX.org or call the office at 903-593-7385.
