(WXYZ) — The high cost of food and gas right now is hitting one local program especially hard, and if it doesn't get some much-needed help soon, there could be even more cuts.
Meals on Wheels services 1,700 seniors a day in Macomb County alone. With no more federal COVID-19 dollars and growing demand, they've had to cut the amount of dinner meals served by 50% and the number of home-delivered meals by 20%
I went out with Barb Yates, one of the volunteers for Meals on Wheels, to see how she's affected. She starts her day loading up freshly-prepared meals at one of the 22 different pick-up sites and heads out on her route.
Yates is a pro by now. She's been volunteering for decades, starting out once a week. But when a shoulder injury made her job working with animals more difficult, she got more involved with this.
“Somebody’s gotta do it. Might as well be me," she said.
“Do you enjoy seeing the same few faces that you see on your routes?” I asked
"Yeah, they’re so happy to see you," she said.
She normally makes about eight stops a day, and she's got a long list of regulars, too.
Learn more about volunteering here
“Barb has been delivering to Dan Bailey in Clinton Township, along with his wife Pat, for more than a year now. Dan, like so many other Meals on Wheels clients, says he really relies on this service.
He's a self-admitted clutz in the kitchen, and since Pat started struggling with dementia, Barb's visits during the week have made a real difference.
“I’ve never cooked anything in my life. I had three sisters and a mother that took care of me and then when I married my wife she took care of me," Dan said.
People like Barb are needed right now, even more than before, according to Sheila Cote, the director of senior services for Macomb County. A lot of their volunteers are retirees and snow birds.
“They tend to go south for the winter. So during this time of year from October to even March, we struggle to get volunteers," Cote said.
Despite this uphill challenge, during all of the pandemic, they never missed a meal. But now, the community service is facing a battle.
Currently, the county has to pay for 10 Meals on Wheels routes to be covered, otherwise, they wouldn't be
In the past, they've been able to keep that number lower, at eight. The more paid drivers they need, the less money they have for meals, gas, and everything else. That's why volunteers are so critical.
Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers to be able to give one hour a month or five hours a day. It doesn't matter! If you have even one free afternoon, they'll gladly take the help.
This could be an ideal opportunity for high school seniors or college students, too, who have spare time during the day. You can volunteer by clicking here
