RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Meals on Wheels in Richland County will start providing meals for all senior citizens who are in need.
Columbia's Senior Resources Meals on Wheels began taking precautions last week when they implemented phase I of their emergency plan. They are now heading into phase II.
Executive Director Andrew Boozer told News 19 phase II will kick off this coming Monday, "we were seeing increased needs for seniors needing food and so we have developed a new plan," Boozer tells us, "Emergency Senior Nutrition Program where we're going to operate 12 drive-thru food services for senior citizens."
Boozer says this will be similar to what school districts are doing for students out of class.
"This is going to be specifically for seniors age 60 and over in Richland County," Boozer says, "so we will have a drive-thru set up where a senior can come with just their name and address and an ID, can pick up five meals."
Boozer says they will get them to-go and will never have to get our of their car or make contact with someone who does not have gloves on.
"That's open for all seniors in Richland County," Boozer emphasizes, "This is not just for existing clients of senior resources this is for any senior in Richland County that has a food need- come find us this week."
The spread of coronavirus has directly affected the elderly because reports say they are most susceptible to this virus. Because of that, they are being asked to stay confined to their homes.
The reason Senior Resources is implementing this program is because they have seen an increased need of food for senior citizens, even those who were not food insecure two weeks ago, "they find themselves today rightfully not wanting to go out into the public, not going to the grocery store, not having the income to do take-out or deliver to their doorstep and both seniors and their caretakers are struggling to find food."
Boozer says they don't know what the exact demand will be so this first week of the program they are asking for patience from the community. "We are going to serve as many seniors as we possibly can and if we see demand is more than what we have resources for right now- we're going to need more resources." Boozer says they are getting ready to respond both this week and for the long haul.
Pickup days and times will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. To receive a meal you must:
- Must be a senior citizen (60+) or taking the meal to a senior citizen and be a resident of Richland County.
- Must provide name, address and phone number at pickup.
- Only 2 meal packs allowed per car.
- Individuals are only permitted one pick-up per week.
- Each individual must show a state issued ID.
Visit their website or Facebook Page for pickup addresses.
You can help this initiative by donating to Senior Resources on their website.