Volunteers from Olympus, Selective Insurance, Computer Aid and Meals on Wheels packed 900 emergency food bags for the homebound to use when meals cannot be delivered due to bad weather or another emergency
Each year Meals on Wheels provides its homebound clients with a days’ worth of shelf-stable food items, such as oatmeal, beef stew, canned vegetables, tuna and soup. These “blizzard bags,” are free of charge and are used when meal deliveries are cancelled. They are replaced as needed. For the past two years, these bags were needed at the end of October during strange early winter weather storms.
This is the third year in a row that Meals on Wheels requested help from the community to collect food so that the Agency would have enough to pack 900 bags. Local companies, organizations, individuals and Meals on Wheels volunteers held food drives to collect specific items for the bags. This food collection saves the Agency more than $6,000 that can be used to subsidize daily meal costs for clients. Computer Aid donated space to store the food.
Our dedicated volunteers brave all kinds of weather, from severe heat, to rainstorms, to snow. However, there are days when icy road conditions or other emergencies make it impossible to deliver meals. Last year was particularly difficult early in the season when there was no electricity for many of our clients. Blizzard bags ensure that the homebound seniors and adults with disabilities we serve don’t go hungry when our volunteers can’t get to them. We appreciate the support of our community businesses, organizations and individuals for collecting and packing this food.. We are especially grateful to Computer Aid for donating space to store and pack the bags.
Thank you to the following for collecting food
for the Blizzard Bags:
Air Products
Asbury United Methodist Adult Sunday School Class
Buckeye Partners
Computer Aid
Episcopal Church of the Mediator
Dr. Marsha Gordon Pediatric Dental Office
Impress Packaging
LSI
Lower Milford Residents’ Association
Meals on Wheels Volunteers and Board Members
Olympus
PPL
St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Bible School
Selective Insurance