A need for help
Meals on Wheels in Montgomery County expands to serve pets with new AniMeals program, seeks donations
Meals on Wheels Montgomery County is feeding a record number of clients amid the economic devastation caused by COVID-19, and many of those in need have hungry four-legged roommates, as well.
About 750 clients are receiving meals through the nonprofit’s home-delivery program. About two-thirds of them have signed up to receive AniMeals, a pet-food program started three years ago after organizers realized clients were rationing off human food for their pets.
“Because they either didn’t have the pet food for them, (or) the finances to purchase the pet food,” said Summer Day, executive director of Meals on Wheels Montgomery County.
To receive AniMeals, sign up as a client of the nonprofit; only food for cats and dogs is part of the program. After the food is donated, Meals on Wheels sorts it and delivers it to clients who request it.
Since COVID-19 hit Montgomery County, Meals on Wheels has seen a dramatic increase in its client base, while also facing a decrease in donations.
“Nonprofits have seen it across the board that physical donations are down,” Day said. “People are still timid to get out of the home and that sort of thing, so with selfquarantine, we’re just not getting the traffic through that makes the pet donations.”
Financial donations to the organization can be earmarked for pet food donations so that Meals on Wheels can go out and purchase the food itself. All food for cats and dogs will be taken, but it’s easier for the organization to store and deliver dry food.
When a client signs up for AniMeals, they tell the organization how large his or her pet is and how many they have. Meals on Wheels then delivers the food based on this information.
In addition to pet food, Day said the organization could use donations for its Supper Club program for seniors who are food fragile. Donations such as low-sodium soup, tuna and vegetables help give these seniors another source of nutrition for the day outside the delivered hot lunch.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the community,” Day said. “We live in a very generous community, and even through these trying times we’ve seen an enormous amount of love and support for our seniors and we’re very grateful for that.”
According to the Meals on Wheels website, in May 16,947 breakfast bags and lunches were delivered, 33 seniors were added to the organization’s service and 162 pets were served AniMeals.