$20,000 donation enables 1,000 ‘emergency’ Meals on Wheels

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 1/8/15

Despite the cold, seniors can feel food secure this winter, thanks to Centreville Bank.

When Meals on Wheels lost funding for the Emergency Meal Program, Centreville came forward for the …

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$20,000 donation enables 1,000 ‘emergency’ Meals on Wheels

Posted

Despite the cold, seniors can feel food secure this winter, thanks to Centreville Bank.

When Meals on Wheels lost funding for the Emergency Meal Program, Centreville came forward for the organization and all their homebound clients across the state.

On Dec. 30, 1,350 Meals on Wheels customers received a package of five non-perishable complete meals, a total of 6,750 meals all together, from the non-profit’s Emergency Meal Program, thanks to more than $20,000 donated by Centreville Bank.

Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island helps the elderly and special needs people remain in their homes by bringing daily meals. The Rhode Island non-profit began in Providence in 1969 with 17 clients. In 2013, Meals on Wheels delivered 333,901 meals to 2,448 customers.

Earlier this year, the Emergency Meal Program was in jeopardy when funding fell through. The emergency meals ensure that customers will still have something to eat if weather keeps staff and volunteers from deliveries. The box includes soup, cookies, juice, dry milk packets, raisins, applesauce and other canned goods.

Marlene LeRoy, director of development for Meals on Wheels, said, “You get comfortable, assuming you’ll get the money every year, but sometimes things just happen. The organization who had been funding the program has always been a great donor, but they just couldn’t do it this year. Well, I was calling everyone. Centreville has been a great partner and when they heard we were looking for more funding, they were quick to respond with help.”

Thomas Lamb, the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Centreville Bank, said, “When Meals on Wheels approached us about funding for the Emergency Meal Program, we quickly stepped up to the plate. They are a wonderful organization and were very pleased to play a role in ensuring that these meals got delivered.”

Heather Amaral, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, said, “With winter upon us, we are extremely grateful to Centreville Bank for allowing this important program to continue.”

The emergency meals are distributed during the winter season and losing funding for the program so close to the delivery date was nerve-wracking for Meals on Wheels, who didn’t want to end a program so essential for their homebound customers.

“With Centreville Bank’s gracious donation we can get our deliveries out right in time, before we get any bad weather. We live in Rhode Island where even if the weatherman says there won’t be snow we still might get some. That’s why this emergency meal program is a necessity,” said LeRoy.

Nancy Ferrara, vice president of product development and sales management, said, “It can be anything that keeps the trucks from getting to Meals on Wheels housebound members, rain, snow, ice, power outages; these five non-perishable meals could help our elderly survive in the wake of emergencies, they don’t have to worry about not eating.”

The Emergency Meal Program, more than feeding the clients, allows seniors as well as their families to feel comfortable and safe about remaining at home for the winter despite weather.

Domenica Santilli, Centreville’s area manager, said, “It’s amazing to know how many people will be helped with this donation. Knowing that these people will have meals if anything should happen is comforting and I’m glad Centreville Bank has a part in that.”

Lamb and Santilli handed the $20,650 check to Amaral in front of the iconic Meals on Wheels truck just before the first emergency meal package was delivered.

After the check changed hands, the five-meal box was given to Santilli, who then handed it to the first client of the day, Rhonda Randall-Plante.

After a soft knock on her door, Randall-Plante emerged to accept the meal package with a smile and profuse thanks.

“I have back problems and it was getting harder and harder to stand for long periods of time. I’m also diabetic and, because I wasn’t cooking, I wasn’t eating right, so I asked my doctor to call Meals on Wheels for me. Meals on Wheels is a godsend, it’s just a wonderful program. To get a meal and see a friendly face every day means the world to me. Now, with the emergency meals I can feel safer with winter coming,” she said.

“This is such a charitable foundation and it touches so many people throughout our state,” Lamb said. “We have a large population of the elderly here that deserve to feel safe during the winter months. This donation is another way that we at Centreville Bank can serve our customers and the family of our customers.”

“More than anything, this program helps our members to feel secure and safe even if we can’t get to them,” said LeRoy.

For more information on the Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, donating, or volunteering for the organization, call 351-6700 or visit their website, www.rimeals.org.

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