The Montgomery County Meals on Wheels program, which provides free meals to 500 elderly residents, has a waitlist of 465 seniors.

Executive Director Allison Hulett attributes the long waitlist to a lack of funding as well as other factors, such as family members moving to other areas.

“Families have become more and more disconnected,” she said. “The population is exploding within Montgomery County, and the families are becoming more disconnected and busy.”

Hulett said Meals on Wheels helps elderly clients who are not able to cook meals for themselves.

“They can’t stand at the stove long enough to cook a meal,” she said. “Even if their family is around, their families can’t cook every single meal for them. There’s a timeframe as we age that we’re not ready for a nursing home, but we need some strategically placed services like meal preparation.” 

Workers at the Meals on Wheels facility on Lake Robbins Drive start their day at 6 a.m. when chef John Alton prepares 500 meals—250 are frozen for rural residents, and 250 are made fresh for urban residents.

Alton said the main challenge of his work is providing nutritious yet tasty meals. He said he gets feedback from clients and uses those comments to adjust the menu. 

“The pork patties—no one likes those,” he said.

Workers then assemble the meals and put them in coolers for deliveries.

Hulett said anyone age 18 or older who passes a background check can volunteer. Meals on Wheels needs people to assist with deliveries, data entry and administrative work. Volunteers can also take part in Senior Dish, a social activity during which clients are visited and asked questions about their lives. Hulett said volunteers provide social and safety services for clients.

“For someone looking to develop a relationship with a client, Meals on Wheels is a great opportunity,” she said. “It’s also a safety check. We had a guy that was on his garage floor, and that volunteer noticed he wasn’t answering and found him, and we called 911.”

Financial donations are also welcomed as donations assist in moving people off the waitlist, Hulett said.

Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack, who is running for re-election, said Meals on Wheels is a good opportunity to help others in a time of need.

“I look forward to building a coalition of community leaders to raise enough funds to eliminate the waitlist and properly take care of our seniors,” he said.