OCEAN COUNTY – There’s nothing like a meal to bring people together. In some cases, the meal is being delivered by a volunteer.
The Ocean County Meals on Wheels recently passed its 50th anniversary. The need for this service is just as great now as it was half a century ago. In fact, it’s even more critical to have this support in place.
Last year, they provided 260,000 meals between home delivery and cafes, said Heather DeJong, Community Relations Specialist for Meals on Wheels of Ocean County.
Bernice Wuttke and her daughter, Jennifer, rely on these meals.
“They’re nutritious, with carbohydrates and proteins we need,” said Bernice, who retired from being a registered nurse due to medical issues. She lives in Toms River with her adult daughter who has special needs.
“There’s a feeling of safety knowing that they come every day, and if you’re not there to receive a meal, they call,” she said.
For the elderly and for someone who is disabled, that connection to the community is a lifeline, Bernice explained. It’s great to have an adult to talk to, and Jennifer often colors a picture for the visitor when they come.
Her father built their house when she was 10 and she’s lived here for 60 years. Meals on Wheels helps her remain in this home she’s lived in practically her whole life. It gives her family peace of mind that someone is “looking out for me and Jenny.”
In an age when parents are in adult facilities, she’s glad she has the option.
“I’d hate to think of where we’d be without this program,” she said.
“The need is always growing,” deJong said. Ten years ago, they might have received 20-30 referrals a month. Now, they’re receiving 20-30 a week.
“They want to stay home and live independently and loved ones can’t be there. That’s where we come in,” she said. When the client’s family knows that they are being cared for, it alleviates their worries.
The people making deliveries are not allowed to leave a meal at the front door. They have to make contact with the client. This provides a wellness check on some people who may not see another soul the entire day. While they are there, the driver takes mental notes about the state of the resident and the home, in case other services are needed, deJong said. For example, during a span of six months, they had to call police or EMS 22 times.
Photo by Chris Lundy
Although the meal comes once a day, officials know that many of the clients split the one meal into two in order to stretch it out. In addition to the home deliveries, there are also cafes in Stafford, Jackson, Brick, Waretown, and Little Egg Harbor. The cafeteria offers more than food, providing social interaction, recreation, activities, and informative presentations.
Cuts To Program?
The local Meals on Wheels has not been impacted by the cuts going on in the federal government, deJong said.
News of potential cuts started back in January, causing anxiety. The drivers have reported that some of the clients were asking “Am I going to get a meal tomorrow?”
According to Fox News, approximately 20,000 positions (one-fourth of the employees) were cut from the Department of Health and Human Services on April 1. This is part of a nationwide cut on federal programs to reduce taxes.
Wheels America President and CEO, Ellie Hollander, and National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs Executive Director Bob Blancato issued a joint statement urging Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reconsider these changes.
“As part of the ongoing restructuring of HHS, many long-standing, experienced staff who fulfilled functions central to serving older adults through the Older Americans Act (OAA) were terminated. These essential functions include disbursement of funding, issuing payments for services delivered and collecting and reporting data on people served and services provided. We are extremely worried about the impact this workforce reduction and dismantling of key functions will have on seniors and the vital programs that serve them,” they said.
They added that the Older Americans Act is the primary federal funding for Meals on Wheels and stated that this act needs to continue to be funded.
How To Help
Meals on Wheels is in need of more volunteers. A single route would have five drivers – one per weekday. With more people, they could cover more area. With more funding, they could prepare more meals.
For more information, or to make donations, visit csimow.org reach out to Info@CSIMOW.org. They can be reached Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 609-978-6869.
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