Bay Ridge Center’s ‘Meals on Wheels’ program delivers food, wellness checks to homebound residents during colder temps
Thanks to the Meals on Wheels program at the Bay Ridge Center, homebound residents do not go without something to eat.
More Stories
The snow and ice are still making it difficult for some older adults to get around Brooklyn.
But thanks to the Meals on Wheels program at the Bay Ridge Center, homebound residents do not go without something to eat.
Stephen Bonal and Angel Pabon were two of 12 drivers delivering hot and cold meals on Thursday.
“If it wasn’t for us, [homebound residents] may not be getting a nutritious meal,” said Bonal.
The program delivers 600 meals every day to older adults in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach and Coney Island.
Ahead of the recent storm, they also provided “storm boxes” as emergency kits.
The funding for the program is thanks to the city’s Department for the Aging.
But Meals on Wheels is about more than delivering a dish; it serves as a quick, face-to-face wellness check between the homebound resident and the driver.
“They get to see someone or get to conversate, even if it’s only a minute conversation or two-minute conversation,” said Pabon.
Pabon said that’s important, since he may be the only person residents see.
“Some of them don’t have any family, and the wellness check is a big deal,” said Pabon. “It’s a really big deal to have someone come every day to your home to make sure that you’re okay.”
Residents told News 12 that they appreciate the drivers because they can’t make it out themselves.
“I can’t go out, no,” said Despina Elisson, a homebound resident. “I can’t walk no more.”
“I can look out and see what they have to go through [with the snow and ice],” said Maryann Von Holten. “But [the drivers are] great.”
