| 7/3/2008 9:09:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | High fuel prices cause shortage of Meals on Wheels volunteers
by Jennifer Denevan
Mail Staff Writer
Volunteers delivering Meals on Wheels in Chaffee County are being forced to make "difficult choices" as the cost of fuel continues to soar.
Steve Holland, Upper Arkansas Area Agency on Aging director, said the program has experienced a steady decrease in the number of volunteers willing to deliver meals for more than a year.
"We understand it's a hardship," Holland said. "Difficult choices are being made more difficult (because of volunteer) benevolence."
Meals on Wheels Association of America reported effects of the rising food and fuel prices in all 50 states from May 22-30.
More than half the reporting programs reported losing volunteers because of fuel prices. Of those, almost half, 48.3 percent, reported they were forced to consolidate or eliminate routes.
The local program has 10 volunteers who deliver about 150 meals a week using two routes in Salida and one in Buena Vista, Holland said. Food is delivered Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and routes typically take an hour to complete.
The program previously offered fuel reimbursement, but at 36 cents a mile. Reimbursement was increased to the federal level of 50.5 cents a mile effective this month he said.
Mileage reimbursement is available for any of the drivers. Holland said he is hoping the increase will help justify money used to get food to participants who need it and to attract more volunteers.
"We don't want to jeopardize one human contact these individuals get," he said.
Holland wants more volunteers to serve Chaffee County and eventually wants to serve outlying areas such as western Fremont County because there are requests.
"I could easily add 20 meals a week (more than a 25 percent increase) tomorrow if I had the drivers," he said. "I don't like turning people down."
Holland said he welcomes anyone interested in becoming a volunteer. Colorado Bureau of Investigation background checks are required. Potential volunteers may contact the agency at 539-3341 or stop in at 139 E. Third St., Salida.
The national survey showed some programs are changing the kinds of food served and are moving away from hot meals to frozen meals.
Diana Kline, local administrative assistant, said Chaffee County Meals on Wheels hasn't needed to change how and when the program operates. Some volunteers must double up on their routes, but they haven't cut routes or who they serve.
The program hasn't needed to change from serving hot food. All meals are cooked fresh, Kline said.
Some cuts have occurred in types of food, she said, because some are getting more expensive. Program cuts have been on items such as fish she explained, and "hopefully" participants won't notice much change she said.
Meal delivery is often the only contact some participants receive and if they don't receive meals, that's less time they have with outside contacts Holland said.
Seniors are often targets of sales scams because they have little contact with other people, so they get talked into deals they don't really want he explained. Meals are one option for them to make human contact.
Interaction between volunteers and meal recipients helps deter feelings of loneliness and depression Holland said. It's that contact that's so important to attract more volunteers.
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
