Many hungry seniors living in Prince George can’t afford to put food on the table. Some local seniors are even resorting to eating cat food. Others only have enough budget to live off one box of cereal per week. Frequently, low-income seniors are faced with the devastatingly dilemma to either purchase groceries or prescriptions.
As horrific as this sounds, it’s what happens when life gets expensive because of inflation, lack of senior funding, soaring prescription costs and when members of our most vulnerable age demographic get forgotten about.
Equally as concerning is that the majority of the Prince George population, especially people and local businesses who would love to step up and help seniors, have no idea this is happening.
I had no clue that a large quantity of seniors in our very own community were struggling with daily meals until I read a Prince George Citizen article on February 18, 2023, from reporter Christine Dalgleish, highlighting the Meals on Wheels program offered by the Prince George Council of Seniors.
This extraordinary initiative is coordinated by a local hero of mine, Nicole Currie, who I met in late-February. The program delivers daily healthy meals to vulnerable seniors in Prince George. Right now, there’s a waiting list – because of funding, of course – for seniors to qualify for the Meals on Wheels delivery program.
Unfortunately, in some cases, by the time funding is available for a senior on the waiting list to join the meal delivery program, they’ve already passed away. Luckily, Meals on Wheels offers an Adopt-A-Senior program, where local individuals and/or businesses can step up to the plate and help out.
One donation of $180 will feed a senior for an entire month! Whether it’s a one-time donation or continuous monthly support, every contribution goes a long way to ensuring our local seniors are looked after. Now is the time where seniors are relying on the generosity of fellow community members.
If money is tight, individuals can also volunteer to deliver meals to local seniors as part of the program. Seeing the happy faces of local seniors when you deliver their one – and, in most cases, only – meal of the day is one of the most rewarding experiences a person could ask for.
If you would like to Adopt-A-Senior through Meals on Wheels, please consider getting in touch with Nicole at 250-564-5888 or [email protected].
Scott McWalter
Prince George
