Meals on Wheels of New Rochelle practices social distancing while serving senior, homebound

A New Rochelle nonprofit continues to serve meals to the city's elderly while practicing new social distancing rules.

Meals on Wheels of New Rochelle has been a fulfilling its mission to feed the homebound and elderly in the city as COVID-19 has created a greater demand for the nonprofit's services.

Volunteers deliver hot, nutritious meals to some of New Rochelle's most vulnerable. 

“Older people who were trying to be self-sufficient have been warned not to go out, and they are very leery of doing that, so they’re calling for help," says Meals on Wheels of New Rochelle director Patricia Showers. 

The volunteers now no longer have direct contact with people receiving meals. 

“Normally, they would go in chat, have a little visit, so forth..now we ask everyone who’s receiving a meal to leave a grocery bag, or shopping bag on their door and the volunteers put the hot meal and everything into the bag. Then they either ring the doorbell or phone the person to come and get it," says Showers.