MEALS ON WHEELS
C ity of Mc Keesport N ews
cKeespor t
By Annette James
36 McKeesport Area
S
taffed by volunteers, McKeesport’s Meals
on Wheels program assists those who
are elderly or frail and homebound, who
cannot prepare nutritious meals for
themselves. There is a minimal charge for this
service, but it is much needed by so many
individuals. The program originated in Great
Britain during the Blitz when many people
lost their homes, and also the ability to cook
their own meals. The first home delivered
meal program in the United States began in
Philadelphia in January 1954 at the request of
The Philadelphia Health and Welfare Council.
Some of the tireless volunteers for
McKeesport Meals on Wheels report to First
United Methodist Church very early on
weekday mornings to start cooking meals,
while others report a bit later to pack the
meals for delivery. Both a hot and a cold
meal are delivered to about 100 clients each
day by volunteer drivers. A typical delivery
consists of a sandwich, fruit, and milk or
juice for the cold meal, and an entrée, starch,
vegetable or soup for the hot meal. Meals
are prepared according to Allegheny County
Health Department standards, and the cost
for clients is about $20 per week. Where
else can you get a week’s worth of home
cooked meals for $20? There are even special
standards that are met for diabetics. For some
recipients, it’s their only line to the outside
world. Some are shut-ins that look forward
to a smiling face bringing them meals each
day. For days when the weather is too bad
for deliveries, a “blizzard bag” is delivered
when extremely bad weather is expected.
This helps tide over recipients until regular
deliveries can be safely resumed.
Rose Marshal is the site coordinator,
and can be reached at 412.672.1998 if you
would like to inquire about qualifying for
the program. If you would like to volunteer,
please call the same phone number. Tim
Hrehocic is the volunteer coordinator for
the program, and is always looking for new
volunteers. You can choose to work 2 hours a
week, or as many as all 5 days. The program
in McKeesport, the largest in the area, has
been in existence for the past 40 years, and
has served countless individuals over the
years. As Mr. Hrehocic says, they serve “good
food to good people”.