Donations, volunteers all needed at Longmont Meals on Wheels

There has been a nose dive in donations to Longmont Meals on Wheels with giving gone down as much as 30% from last year, Katie Wiser, development and communications director for the organization, said this week..

“Individual donations are down significantly,” Wiser said via email. “They are about a quarter of what they should be. I understand that this is similar to other local nonprofits, but those of us in food service are also seeing inflation in food prices.”

Meals on Wheels delivers hot, healthy meals and a daily wellness check Monday through Friday to older adults and people with disabilities in Longmont and Niwot, according to the nonprofit’s website. 

Most clients struggle to prepare a meal for themselves, whether they can’t stand long enough to cook, can’t leave the house regularly or find the diet their doctor placed them on to be confusing, the website says. Meals on Wheel prepares and delivers 425 meals a day for its homebound clients.

Donations are down, likely over fears of an uncertain economy, Wiser said earlier this week. “I just think people are worried about inflation and what is going to happen in the future,” she said, noting that people actually gave more during the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She hopes giving will go up as people start deciding what to do with their TABOR refund checks. “Just anything will help, even the smallest amount will help us,” Wiser said.

Volunteers are also urgently needed, she said. Meals on Wheels can use 8-10 new regular delivery drivers and substitute drivers are at a premium. 

“There was a day two weeks ago when our program manager needed to find 17 substitutes in one day for our 30 routes,” Wiser said. “It can make things a bit intense.”

Meals on Wheels is delivering some good news in the form of a new salad bar available Wednesday through Friday at the Senior Center, 910 Longs Peak Avenue. “It is for people 55+ and a guest,” she said. “We will also be able to send out more side salads on those days to our home delivery participants.”

To help and get more information, contact Wiser at 720-507-7229 or go to www. Longmont Meals.org.

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