Comstock's magazine 0620 - June June 2020 | Page 93

CAPITAL REGION CARES
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Meals Oon Wheels
Collaborating to care for seniors.
Meals on Wheels by ACC is adapting its services for the health
and safety of participants, as well as staff and volunteers,
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnerships and program
changes enable MoW to continue delivering meals to seniors
throughout Sacramento County.
Under normal circumstances, MoW serves lunch five days a
week, free of charge, to approximately 800 participants age 60
and over at its twenty All Seasons Cafes throughout Sacramento
County. With all of the cafes closed during the crisis, MoW is
delivering shelf-stable meals to all participants.
MoW has been able to continue its normal service of delivering
meals, free of charge, to approximately 1,400 homebound and frail
seniors — with new safety measures to ensure social distancing,
including leaving meals on doorsteps. Knowing how critical the
program’s in-home visiting and assessments are, MoW volunteers
are now checking on participants by phone to ensure they are safe
and well.
“With all our meals currently delivered to homes, we make
sure staff has personal protection equipment and practices
social distancing and sanitizing,” says Kevin McAllister, executive
director. “Though volunteers would normally deliver meals, they’re
sheltering in place, and our staff has taken over this role with
tremendous help from ACC Senior Services drivers.”
Funding for MoW comes from federal, state and local grants,
as well as private donations and corporate support. “Without
those contributions and the support of the business community,”
McAllister says, “we couldn’t do the work we do.”
MoW thanks ACC Senior Services and the Cosumnes River
College Firefighter and EMT interns for assisting with meal delivery,
the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and its dedicated
volunteers for keeping social contact with seniors by phone. MoW
hopes to have volunteers back on-site by July and welcomes anyone
interested in volunteering to call [phone] to learn more.
MOWSAC.ORG
June 2020 | comstocksmag.com 93