COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday and Friday, LifeCare Alliance had to cancel deliveries for Meals on Wheels because of snow emergencies resulting from the winter storm.
“We definitely went into (a) contingency plan, which we rarely had to do,” says Tricia Strahler, Director of Strategic Communications for LifeCare Alliance which operates Meals on Wheels in Franklin, Madison, Champaign, Marion and Logan counties.
With snow level emergencies lessening by Saturday, it was time to hit the road and make deliveries, including the ones that couldn’t be delivered since Thursday.
“We had 3,200 extra meals to deliver over and above our normal weekend route,” Strahler added.
In less than 24 hours, Strahler said the call out for more volunteer delivery drivers led to triple the usual number.
Angie Vecchio, who volunteers once a month, was ready to roll.
“It seems like when they send emergency emails saying they need a lot of volunteers, we pick it up twice a month,” she said with her kids in the car who enjoy making the house visits.
“There are a lot of individuals that just want to hear someone say ‘hi’ and have a conversation,” Vecchio added.
Other volunteers, like James Winbush, say the Meals on Wheels mission is more than just food delivery. It's a wellness visit.
“I get to speak to them, give them a meal, might even have to open meal while I’m there,” he explains.
“I find it fulfilling to check on the elderly,” Winbush added.
“We need people to help to reach out to those who can't help themselves,” he says. “This is a time in our country to really help each other instead of being divided.”