The Face of Meals on Wheels

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

On Monday, I gave an overview of our Meals on Wheels program. So today, I thought I’d provide a look at the “face of Meals on Wheels.” Who, exactly, is it that we are serving with this program?

Meet Marie and James.

Marie and James are both in their 80s and currently live on the income from their social security checks. They have an apartment in East Liberty, but no family in the area – their children have moved out of Pittsburgh. Marie used to do all of the cooking for the couple, but two years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She is still fairly self-sufficient, but is increasingly unable to handle meal preparation. James steadfastly cares for her, but he has never been much good at cooking. And at his age, learning to cook is an overwhelming prospect.

A friend at their church told James and Marie about EECM’s Meals on Wheels program. They now receive meals 3 days a week. James says that, while they certainly appreciate the meals, they look forward to the opportunity to visit with a friendly volunteer even more.