By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – By most accounts, the worst of the storm recovery is behind us. That's also true for Meals on Wheels. The home food delivery service for the elderly and homebound is cooking once again.
After more than a week without power, Meals on Wheels is fired up and getting ready to roll. Power was finally restored to the commissary last Friday afternoon.
And Director Richard Gearing said that means a nice hot meal for all their clients today.
He said the hot meals will be welcomed by their 1,700 clients. But the organization was, remarkably, able to keep delivering cold meals and canned goods throughout the crisis.
Gearing said they are used to planning for snow emergencies. But he said he will take a normal blizzard over this surprise storm any day.
He said the lack of power would have made it tough, even if hot meals could have been prepared. But he said keeping the kitchen running has to be a priority if this ever happens again.
He will ask to meet with National Grid officials in a few weeks to be sure the organization is placed on the utility company's priority list.
Gearing said they will also be looking at a possible fundraiser to purchase a large generator that could handle the kitchen's heavy load.
Meals on Wheels is also seeking extra volunteers who could help carry the load especially this week as regular volunteers regroup from their own storm damage. A warm heart is all that is required. The number is 822-2002.