Nearly 100,000 seniors in Faulkner County will rely on the Meals on Wheels program by June 30, according to Debra Robinson of the Faulkner County Council on Aging.
Since the beginning of 2008, the program has seen a 10 percent increase in demand for meals and the number will keep rising.
"For the first time (in Faulkner County), we're going to go over 100,000 Meals on Wheels this year," Robinson said. "We're needing to try to keep raising money throughout the year to help with our Meals on Wheels program, so we don't have to start a waiting list because anybody that needs a meal I want to make sure that we can get them one. It's just too hard to say no when you know someone's just got out of the hospital and they need a little bit of help for a while."
Currently, the Faulkner County Meals on Wheels program delivers meals all over Faulkner County from senior centers in Conway, Greenbrier, Mayflower, Mount Vernon, Vilonia and Twin Groves.
"We also touch areas that are definitely way out of our delivery area, but still in Faulkner County and the way we do that is that if they are out of the area, maybe they have a family member that can come to one of our centers and pick up frozen meals for that person, or they have a home help aid that helps them in the home and they can come and pick up meals for that person who is out of the delivery area." Robinson added, "Because we have volunteers and home help aides and family members who can pick-up meals for those who are in the outlying areas, we really feel like that we are able to help more people."
Last year, the Meals on Wheels programs had 20 people who volunteered as delivery drivers. Employees of the Faulkner County Senior Citizens Program prepare the meals, which cost $4.12 for the food, preparation and delivery, Robinson said.
The Faulkner County Senior Citizens Program receives about half of its funding from the federal and state government, but only a portion of that money goes to the Meals on Wheels program. Though the program is not in dire straits as of yet, Robinson said that it takes lots of fundraising and community support to keep the program from dipping into reserves for other programs. The senior citizens programs also receives some money from the Faulkner County United Way and the Faulkner County Quorum Court, as well as the individual cities in the counties. Robinson said that the seniors themselves also donate some funds, but with the increase in need, Robinson fears the possibiltiy of waiting lists and dipping into reserves.
"What we see now is that we're having to do more fundraisers than ever before to keep pace with the services that we're providing," Robinson said, adding that the rise in demand can be linked to several factors.
"The older population is aging. They want to do everything they can to stay in their homes as long as they possibly can," Robinson said. Robinson said that many of these seniors cannot prepare meals for themselves due to health problems such as arthritis and the inability to stand for long periods of time. By bringing meals to the seniors they have at least one nutritious meal a day, Robinson said. Ultimately, Robinson said, "our meals help seniors to be able to stay in their own homes..." . She added that it will be nothing to see people over the age of 100 years old living in their own home. Also, Baby Boomers are approaching 65 years old, meaning the number of people receiving assistance will increase. Another cost to consider are the ever-increasing gas prices. Robinson said that the Faulkner County Council on Aging board has met concerning fuel prices, but haven't yet hatched out a plan to combat the burden of fuel costs.
"Our fuel cost is a lot," Robinson said. "Just to throw a number out there, if gas reaches $4 a gallon, we may go to delivering meals three times a week instead of five times." If that should happen, she said the drivers will deliver frozen meals for the days that they wouldn't be available. "The only thing they wouldn't have would be someone coming to their door and being there, but we would make a phone call to them on the days that we would not deliver the meals just to make sure they're OK, see if they needed anything. Again, that's just a possibility something that might happen."
Robinson added, "it is more than just a meal because it is a daily contact somebody who checks on them everyday. Somebody that can pull their big garbage can out to the curb if they're not able to. It's someone that can bring their paper or their mail. Somebody that can put a light bulb in for them if they need that. Our drivers, they don't just walk in and leave that meal, there are other things that they do along with that, along with friendly conversation."
To make a donation or volunteer your time, drop by the Faulkner County Senior Citizens Program at 1620 N. Donaghey Ave. or call Debra Robinson at 327-0196. All donations are tax deductible.
(Staff writer Monica Hooper can be reached by e-mail at monica.hooper@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1266. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
