Metro East Sun

The Meals on Wheels program in Alton is stepping up to the COVID-19 pandemic by serving up to 1,000 meals a day to area residents.

“We’ve gone from 650 folks to over 1,000, every day,” Senior Services Plus (SSP) Executive Director John Becker told The Telegraph. “The biggest issue is we had to close our catering contracts, Wellness Center and travel program. Those services generate a profit and that’s used to fund Meals On Wheels.”

According to The Telegraph, SSP had to lay off several drivers over the age of 65 because of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nevertheless, coronavirus limitations are not preventing SSP from delivering thousands of Meals On Wheels each week.

“The agency has sustained enormous momentum ... as the number of meals grew, with three wellness coordinators bolstering efforts to ensure seniors get their daily nutrition requirements,” the report said.

Some of the food recipients have lost their jobs because of virus-related layoffs and have been sheltering in place.

“The (food) drivers are the only people they see,” Becker said.

Emergency funding for the program is coming from the Illinois Department on Aging, AgeSmart Community Resources, the Area Agency on Aging, United Way, and Meals On Wheels of America. The effort is allowing for a 30-day supply of emergency meals to all seniors, adding up to more than 30,000 meals.

The Meals On Wheels program provides frozen meals Monday through Wednesday and more than 250 box lunches to four senior apartment complexes Monday through Friday. All of the meal preparation is performed at the SSP School House Grill, which also offers curbside delivery at 2603 N. Rodgers Ave.

“A lot of seniors don’t want to get out and they’re worried about keeping a steady supply of food,” Becker said. “One third of daily nutrition comes from the meals we deliver.”

Becker lauded staffers for their continued efforts.

“I credit this entire thing to the staff through this crisis,” he said. “We have a quality nutrition staff doing production every day, preparing over 1,000 meals to ensure that seniors don’t go hungry.”