In response to coronavirus pandemic safety measures, congregate meal sites remained closed throughout the Quad Cities areas at press time. Many offer meals for pickup or delivery. Readers are advised to call their local meal providers for status updates as states relax isolation measures.
To minimize contact with the homebound, meal delivery drivers are knocking on doors, setting bagged meals down on client porches, then waiting in their cars to make sure bags are picked up, according to WA-ID Volunteer Center Executive Director Cathy Robinson.
Valley Meals on Wheels, (208) 799-5767, continues providing home-delivered meals.
“Our seniors and home-bound neighbors are among the most vulnerable in our community and keeping them, as well as our staff and volunteers, safe, is vitally important,” Board President Claudia Jones wrote in a recent email, noting that the program is adhering to federal and St. Joseph Regional Medical Center guidelines. “If you are healthy and able to drive during this time, please sign up to help deliver meals.”
Meals are prepared at the hospital and are delivered by volunteers between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. year round. Cost is $3.50 per day for a hot meal and $4.50 per day for a sack lunch.
Lewiston’s Senior Nutrition Program, (208) 743-6983, continues its normal home deliveries five days a week for homebound clients. Brown-bag lunches are available for pick up from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The lunches are distributed curbside on the east side of the Community Center, 1424 Main St. Cost is $5 for those younger than 60, and $4 is suggested for those 60 and older. Preordering isn’t necessary.
The Senior Round Table Nutrition Program, which normally serves meals in Clarkston and Asotin, continues to serve homebound clients. Mobile seniors can pick up meals at the Valley Community Center drive-through. Meals are available at noon Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; preordering isn’t necessary. Cost is $7 for people younger than 60, and a $4 donation is suggested for those 60 and older. More information is available by calling (509) 758-3816.
Program managers also are seeking to raise additional money to support the program, according to an email from Senior Round Table Site Manager Chrystal Wiese.
“We had quite a deficit for 2019,” she wrote, “and if we can’t raise some funds, I am unsure what will happen to the site and the many homebound seniors we deliver to as well as the seniors that join us for our congregate meal site.”
Checks made payable to Senior Round Table Clarkston can be sent care of Valley Community Center, 549 Fifth St., Clarkston, WA 99403.
The Friendly Neighbors meal service in Moscow is continuing its home delivery program. Mobile seniors may pick up “grab-and-go” lunches at the back door of the 1912 Center meal site at 412 E. Third St. Seniors must sign up for either service by calling Friendly Neighbors President Bill Terrio at (208) 310-3779.
Meals are available at noon Tuesdays and Thursdays at a cost of $7 for those younger than 60 and a suggested donation of $5 for those 60 and older. More information can be found at http://users.moscow.com/srcenter.
