Wood County seniors will get a big box delivery next week, filled with enough staples for 14 meals.
But don’t eat it, said Denise Niese, executive director of the Wood County Committee on Aging.
The 800 boxes, which were packed inside the Junior Fair Building at the Wood County Fairgrounds on
Thursday, are emergency supplies in case meal delivery is limited or canceled to seniors who regularly
receive home-delivered meals.
“This is being delivered in case we have to shut down our operation of the daily hot meals and the
frozen,” Niese said. “As the pandemic progresses, we don’t know what the orders coming down from the
state, as far as being able to be open, will be.
“We want to ensure that our client base — which are the most vulnerable, who need to stay at home — will
have shelf-staple meals that they can have access to, if we cannot continue service.”
Ohio’s coronavirus cases are expected to peak in the next month. The senior population is among the most
susceptible.
Niese said that the committee on aging regularly sends a couple boxes of staples to seniors’ homes in the
fall, in preparation for inclement winter weather.
“This is just a larger opportunity of being off, should something happen. That’s why we’re preparing,”
she said.
Hopefully, the box will still be in seniors’ kitchens and pantries later in the spring, Niese said.
“Save the product and once the pandemic ratchets down, we’ll send you a note to eat all your groceries,”
she said. “They should be put aside, though, for emergency.”
On Thursday, about 50 people worked — socially distanced from each other — to pack the boxes. Boxes of
pasta and sauce tumbled down a conveyor belt and were caught by gloved hands. The staples, including
juice, beans, soup and toilet paper, were boxed and will go out next week.
“It took a great deal of collaboration and advocacy,” Niese said.
The food was secured through Kroger, with assistance from Ohio Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg; Ohio
Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green; and U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green. All three were on hand
Thursday, packing boxes.
Delivery will begin on Monday and will take most of the week, Niese said.
All eight Wood County senior centers closed last month as conoravirus concerns led to a statewide “stay
at home” order. Home-delivered meal service continues, though.