Pickens County Meals on Wheels has announced that with the financial assistance of the GE Volunteers Foundation it will launch a program to provide emergency or inclement weather food packages for our clients. PCMOW will begin distributing the emergency food packages to clients at the end of December. According to Executive Director, Meta Bowers, when inclement weather conditions make it unsafe for volunteers to deliver, Meals on Wheels’ home meal delivery service is cancelled.

Each weekday, 52 weeks a year, volunteers brave all kinds of weather, from heat, to rainstorms, to snow. However, there are times when icy road conditions or other emergencies make it impossible to deliver meals. These emergency food packages will ensure that clients have an alternative when volunteers can’t get to them. Meals on Wheels will distribute nonperishable, shelf-stable food items, such as single-serving entrees, canned meats, vegetables, soups, oatmeal, crackers, fruit cups, raisins and similar items. These emergency meal packages will be provided to clients free-of-charge.

The local community has provided significant time and energy to support this project. In addition to initial funding, GE Volunteers will help package, sort and label the emergency food packages for delivery. Throughout November, Clemson University held a food-drive to collect specific items for the packages. Instrumental in organizing this was Anthony Williams, Graduate Assistant for Fraternities and Sororities Division of Student Affairs Clemson University. Gleaning House Ministries of Pickens has generously provided space to order, package and store food items. The Hallmark Store of Easley has collected and donated food items in excess of 300 pounds, and Jan Childress and Neel Garrison of Pendleton Street Plaza, Easley has extended an offer for storage of emergency food items, if excess capacity is needed.

Senior hunger is an issue that Pickens County Meals on Wheels addresses on a daily basis by providing hot, home-delivered meals to the homebound elderly and disabled in our community. Meals on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is supported by individuals, churches, church groups, schools, businesses, the United Way and service organizations who generously donate their time, talents and treasures to alleviate this growing need.

“We appreciate the support of our community businesses, organizations and individuals for donating, collecting and packing this food during this campaign,” states Bowers, “We currently need additional food items and volunteers to deliver packages to clients.”

For more information on and details of the emergency food hunger relief project, please visit the Pickens County Meals on Wheels website at www.pcmow.org or call 864-855-3770, Ext. 107.