Meghan Grady is the executive director for Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island. Grady spoke with Providence Business News about the increased demand for food during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, what challenges the nonprofit is facing on its own and what needs it has.
PBN: How much has demand for food increased during this pandemic?
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GRADY: As homebound older adults, our clients are, by nature, part of the population identified as being at high risk for complications if they develop COVID-19, and they often depend on multiple support systems to help them stay healthy. Many of our clients don’t have access to some of those systems now, making our program even more critical to their well-being.
In addition, we have shuttered our Capital City Café Program, instead delivering meals to those clients’ homes. Seniors also no longer have access to dining at senior centers, making it vital that we are able to reach as many people as possible. We anticipate that there will be a continued increased need for our program, as we are already seeing about 50 additional calls to receive meals per week.
PBN: Has finding volunteers to deliver food been easy or difficult?
GRADY: We anticipated a need for additional volunteers as a result of the pandemic, and early on put recruitment strategies into our COVID-19 response plan. Our pre-pandemic volunteer base was comprised largely of two populations – retired individuals and members of group home facilities.
We did see a sharp decline in their availability to volunteer, so we cast a wide net for additional volunteers, utilizing partnerships with the United Way of Rhode Island and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and AAA Northeast, for instance, and widely advertising the need across our online channels.
We have been humbled by the number of individuals who have registered to help us enact our everyday mission of helping our homebound seniors stay healthy and safe.
PBN: What is the biggest challenge the organization is facing with the pandemic in terms of operations?
GRADY: Like many other nonprofits across the state, we are continuing to serve a pre-COVID-19 client base while working to meet an increased need for services. We also anticipate a decrease in the $3 voluntary suggested donation we normally ask clients to make to help cover the cost of their meals.
In addition, our development team has been reassigned to assist with home-delivered operations, both because they are needed there and because we had to discontinue our largest fundraiser of the year, March for Meals, and we cannot project that we will be able to recover associated donation losses for the rest of the year.
PBN: What is the organization’s greatest need currently?
GRADY: Given the uncertain environment, there are, of course, costs associated with increased program operations, both in the anticipated increased need in getting more meals to more seniors in need and in utilizing our dedicated team members to ensure we are delivering on our mission during this unprecedented time.
The cost of one home-delivered meal for a Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island client is just $7.41. If only 10 people reading this article went online to rimeals.org and made a $7.41 donation, we would be able to feed a senior for a full two weeks.
PBN: What entities, if any, have assisted Meals on Wheels to help meet demand?
GRADY: Many, and we are so very thankful. We are working closely with the R.I. Office of Healthy Aging as part of the state’s holistic emergency food response plan. With additional funding from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, we are able to purchase the frozen meals municipalities are distributing to their neighbors in need.
We’ve been fortunate to receive grant funding from organizations, including United Way of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Foundation, the van Beuren Charitable Foundation and others that are helping us to continue our important work – but, we will need more help as we continue to navigate this uncertain time.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
