SAGE Meals on Wheels Record Breaking Year
Submitted by Cindy Potters
As the pandemic forced businesses and services to close in 2020, the demand for SAGE’s Meals on Wheels kept increasing. By the end of the year, the nonprofit delivered a record breaking 50,000 meals, an increase of 7,000 over the previous year. Family members who were unable to visit and offer support to their older adult relatives called on Meals on Wheels for help. The meal service became an increasingly important resource for food and a means for having someone check in on loved ones.
According to Marianne Kranz, Director of Meals on Wheels, she, her staff and many volunteers continued to go to the SAGE building at 290 Broad Street in Summit every day during the pandemic to pack and deliver meals. Community organizations and area residents pitched in by donating what was needed. Along with frozen meals and nonperishable food items, people dropped off toilet paper and paper towels, masks, baked goods and made monetary donations. “Our goal was to provide our clients with extra food so they wouldn’t have to worry about leaving the house to get to a grocery store,” said Kranz. “There were also people coming home from the hospital alone, scared and food insecure.”
Meals on Wheels was there to help and continues to be a vital support to those in the community who need it. The average age of someone receiving meals is 83. Half of these clients live alone and 65% rarely see anyone other than the volunteer who brings them their meal.
If you or a family member is in need of meal assistance, call 908-273-5554. Meals on Wheels delivers to: Berkeley Heights, Chatham, New Providence, Millburn/ Short Hills, Mountainside, Summit and Springfield.
Since 1954, SAGE Eldercare has been helping make the communities it serves amazing places to age. The non-profit organization provides a wide array of information, support, and services designed to help individuals lead the most independent and active lives possible. If you are in need of Meals on Wheels or would like to make a donation, please call 908-273-5550 or visit sageeldercare.org.
