Jill Erickson: Meals on Wheels can, and should, be providing better service
What Meals on Wheels needs is more support, and not just from the government. I’ve been involved with the seniors meals program for over 20 years. In the good old days they once delivered a hot meal five days a week and some of the drivers were actually volunteers using their own vehicles, reimbursed only for mileage.
As funding got tighter, food costs increased, donations and volunteers decreased. The program has steadily offered less and less. Now only a frozen entree with fresh milk and sometimes bread and juice delivered once a week and only to those prioritized to be the most elderly, frail and in greatest need. The program was so much more, it was peace of mind knowing someone would be coming by to provide not just a nutritious meal but a safety check and a smile.
I believe the community just doesn’t understand the need – they don’t know what we have lost. I remain hopeful the community will come together and help the senior meals program do more. Our older adult population is growing leaps and bounds and they deserve more from all of us – not less.
Jill Erickson, Modesto
This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Jill Erickson: Meals on Wheels can, and should, be providing better service."