WACO, TX — Inflation is causing the price of food and fuel to skyrocket and now that is beginning to affect a crucial program for those in need.
While most people most Americans have the ability to travel and get the essentials they need like food, some Central Texans can’t make it to the grocery store.
That is where folks like Meals on Wheels Waco come in, providing healthy meals to senior citizens confined to their homes.
”They really rely on organizations like Meals on Wheels because, if the food isn’t brought, they literally don’t have it ... they go without,” said Dr. Rob Tennant, associate professor of accounting at Texas A&M -Central Texas.
Meals on Wheels Waco doesn’t just deliver within city limits.
”They go up to as far as Whitney every day and we also go out to McGregor, we go to Rosebud in Falls County every day. Plus Marlin and Mart and other small cities along the way,” said Debbie King, CEO of Meals on Wheels Waco.
Something that experts say is understandably getting harder and harder to do as inflation continues to rise.
”The food becomes more expensive. So, that becomes part of the challenge, and another part of the challenge goes to the price of gas that goes to deliver the food to shut-ins,” said Dr. Tennant.
While the higher cost of food is impacting them, the cost of fuel is reaching record highs and is taking a massive toll on their operation.
”We’re really having to watch our budget as far as how we can do this and still have money to do all the meals we do,” said King.
Meals on Wheels relies on the generosity of the community to keep operating and with prices the way they are now, they need all the help they can get.
”We are always looking for donations and we always need new volunteers that are willing to come out and help get the meals to clients.” said King.
Meals on Wheels Waco makes over 1,200 meals a day and they are just on over several locations in Central Texas in dire need of funding and volunteers.
If you would like to donate or volunteer just reach out to your local Meals on Wheels.
