Food, Gas costs hit area meal programs
By Nathan Straus Statesman News Reporter

Every time gas goes up 10 cents per gallon, the gas costs for the Meals on Wheels program's Tyler branch goes up $600 a month.

This sobering fact, stated by Rachel Hatt, Tyler branch director of development and public relations, means for the first time ever the branch must implement a waiting list system to minimize costs and keep the monthly expenditures down.

"We have a fleet of about 47 vehicles going to 10 counties," Hatt said. "The vehicles use around 6,000 gallons of fuel per month."

There are roughly 20,000 senior nutrition programs in the country, and the vast majority of these depend on three things: gas, food and volunteers.

Unfortunately, it's no secret the price of gas has risen so fast the word "skyrocket" sounds tame. The price of food has taken a sharp rise as well, leading to a massive increase in the cost of living.

Hatt said the price of flour alone has increased 85 percent from 2007.

"We served 1,000,000 meals last year, and the price increases are really hurting us," Hatt said. "For the first time we've had to start telling people we can't deliver food, that they'll have to be on a waiting list."

The increased cost of living has also led to reduced volunteer time and monetary donations.

Hatt said if there were more donations going to Meals on Wheels, the waiting list wouldn't have to be implemented as the organization would be able to cover the higher gas and food costs with donations.

"If this keeps up we'll have more and more seniors without meals," Hatt said. "They'll have to go live in nursing homes and leave their old way of life and families behind."

However, it's not all bad news.

Eva Shelby, a Chandler Meals on Wheels helper, said the city has avoided the brunt of the pricing pain.

"It's not affecting us here in Chandler too bad because our volunteers are very dedicated to the program," Shelby said.

Hatt said of the counties the Tyler branch program delivers to, Henderson County is in the top three for donations. The counties are Henderson, Smith, Greg, Harrison, Upshur, Penola, Van Zandt, Wood, Rains and Camp.

She also said programs are being planned to cover the cost of additional meals.