Pocono News Section

Gas Prices May Force Meals on Wheels Cutbacks

Gas Prices May Force Meals on Wheels Cutbacks - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 5:11PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008 @ 05:11pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- High gas prices may force Lackawanna County's Meals on Wheels Program to make some cuts.

Program Director Linda Steier said the agency is already having problems recruiting new volunteer drivers. The agency gives its drivers gas cards but they only amount to $5. It's just enough to buy slightly more than one gallon of gas.

Steier said she is already considering the possibility of cutting the number of deliveries made to the program's 820 recipients. Currently hot meals are delivered every weekday. In order to save on fuel costs the agency may make fewer deliveries. Under that plan drivers would deliver a frozen meal for another day along with the usual hot lunch.

Volunteer drivers like Nick Dunkailo say they would like to continue delivering meals on a daily basis. Dunkailo believes some elderly people would have a hard time preparing the frozen meal for themselves. He also believes the daily weekday visits are important to check on the welfare of the recipients.

Steier is hoping that public donations will enable Meals on Wheels to continue with the daily deliveries. You can help by sending donations to:

Meals on Wheels
Lackawanna County
541 Wyoming Ave.
Scranton, PA 18503