By Suzanne Schmidt
Staff Writer
Even though East Pasco Meals on Wheels has a lot to celebrate with a newly remodeled kitchen, the organization is still struggling with donations and needs volunteers.
Cindy Beson, director, said the organization needs non-perishable items and canned goods as well as cash donations.
“It is very important for people to realize we are extremely blessed with the new kitchen,” Beson said. “We are very grateful to the Florida Medical Clinic and the Foundation of Caring for doing this, but we still need donations of food to cook in the nice new kitchen. We still have operating costs and we still have food to buy. When donations are down, we can’t help people.”
The organization serves seniors in Zephyrhills and the surrounding areas including some parts of Dade City.
“We bring a six-course meal to the elderly who are home bound and unable to cook for themselves,” Beson said. “It is important because a lot of times they are not getting the nutrition they need. They won’t cook a meal that has all of the food groups because they live alone.”
Each person receives soup or salad, a main entrée with meat and a side like potatoes or rice, a vegetable, a roll and a dessert for $4 or less a meal. The clients with diabetes receive sugar free desserts.
“We ask for donations from our clients,” Beson said. “Some are living way below poverty level so we try to adjust the amount depending on their income.”
The organization also supplies about 20 meals for the homeless at Community Chapel Church of God, 5320 1st Street in Zephyrhills, for the cost of the food.
In addition to a warm meal, the organization also enhances its client’s lives.
“One of the main things we provide is companionship,” Beson said. “It is more than just a meal. We are reaching out to these people to let them know someone cares about them. That is one of the biggest things, just to let them know they are not alone.”
Since the government does not run the organization, it relies on donations from the community. Meals on Wheels collects newspapers, magazines, catalogues, thin cardboard and aluminum cans to help raise that money. There are boxes located throughout the Zephyrhills area.
“We count on the local community to keep up donating,” Beson said. “We hit financial difficulties because during the summer, all our northern friends leave and there is a big difference in how many newspapers we get. We need the local community to help us get through to the fall.”
Volunteer drivers deliver the food and the companionship. With many of the volunteers heading back north for the summer, the organization needs more drivers. Drivers typically drive their own car one day a week for about two hours a day.
Donna Grimm-Widner is working for the organization as the recycling coordinator and she used to volunteer to drive. She said she loves to work for the organization because she can see the positive impact it makes.
“I loved it when I was a driver,” Grimm-Widner said. “I love the people. I still will pick up a special treat just for them and put their name on it. They would always hug me and smile when they saw me.”
Barbara Lewis, chef for the organization, said she has been a cook off and on for 20 years but this is the most wonderful working experience she has ever had.
“We are all women working together and it is a lot of fun because we all get along,” Lewis said. “I like that I get to be creative with the food. I know the people love the food and really appreciate what I do.”
Lewis had a list of things she had to do in order to use the other kitchen, so now she is adjusting to having a kitchen that works right.
“The other kitchen was horrible,” Lewis said. “I couldn’t use the sink and I had to rotate the food every 20 minutes so it wouldn’t burn. This new kitchen makes my job so much easier.”
Barbara Cox volunteers twice a week packing coolers with food. She just got back to volunteering after having knee replacement surgery.
“I always liked helping other people,” Cox said. “I think it is important because sometimes the only people they see all day are our volunteers.”
Marian Abel of Zephyrhills volunteers to ride along with a driver and hand out the meals. She has been riding along for the last 10 years.
“Most of the time, they are very nice,” Abel said. “If they are not really nice then it is because they are not feeling well. I think everyone should give back. I feel like everybody should do something for somebody.”
For more information, call (813) 782-7859 or visit www.epmow.com.
