Seniors are more likely than ever to have meals delivered, and they have more options as businesses adjust to the changing demands of the pandemic.
In 91原创, operators of a private catering company, a local seniors centre, and the 91原创 Meals on Wheels all report their deliveries and pickup services have substantially increased 鈥 driven largely by demand from older customers.
At the (LSRS) centre, the cafeteria kitchen has been keeping busy by making up meals for clients to pick up.
Adam Murphy, interim executive director of the centre, said they were forced to close the Timms cafe that operates at the 91原创 City community centre, and their catering business has had to shut down.
But their Meals To Go pick-up service is another story.
LSRS has been cooking an average of 2,000 meals a month, and thanks to a grant of $25,000 from Centra 鈥 a Walnut Grove-based window manufacturer 鈥 they can continue to provide free meals to those in the greatest need.
鈥淭hat will give us almost a year (of free meals),鈥 Murphy estimated.
In December, 180 free meals were distributed, and that doubled in January.
READ ALSO: 91原创 seniors鈥 centre cooks up program to feed struggling seniors
Murphy said the centre cooks have begun offering a 鈥渉igher-end specialty meal鈥 once a month.
In December, they provided a 鈥渇ull-service鈥 turkey meal, and for New Year鈥檚, a steak and prawns dinner.
鈥淚t (the steak dinner)] was very popular,鈥 Murphy remarked.
The Meals To Go program is actually serving more meals than the centre cafeteria did when it was open, 鈥渟imply because we鈥檙e connecting with so many more people,鈥 Murphy said.
Meals are $7 for members and $8 for non-members, pre-ordered the day before and can be picked up from the side door of the centre between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays.
To order from the centre, people can call 604-530-3020 ext. 315
(MOW) vice-chair Kathy Reddington said the charitable, non-profit society 鈥 that provides affordable menu plans and social meal programs 鈥 is busier than ever.
Before COVID-19 hit, they were distributing 300 meals at a time, and that has now more than doubled to 697.
鈥淧eople are calling because they don鈥檛 know where [else] to turn to,鈥 Reddington said.
Among the challenges MOW had to overcome as the pandemic took hold, a drop in the number of volunteer delivery people.
鈥淥ne of the issues was, a lot of the volunteers were seniors, and due to personal precaution, people were stepping back,鈥 Reddington explained.
Fortunately, other volunteers from the 91原创 Township and City fire departments, as well as Telus, stepped up.
鈥淭hey filled the gap,鈥 Reddington said.
READ MORE: 91原创 firefighters answer call for volunteers at Meals on Wheels
All proceeds from the Boutique Finds thrift store, at 20408 Douglas Cres. in 91原创 City, are going to support Meals on Wheels services, including subsidizing meals for seniors in need.
鈥(We) don鈥檛 turn people away, and people who need a subsidy, will get a subsidy,鈥 Reddington said.
Subsidized meals were about 25 per cent of Meals On Wheels deliveries pre-pandemic, now, it is 鈥渃loser to 50 per cent.鈥
Volunteers do more than just deliver, they check on client鈥檚 well-being on delivery days, Reddington added.
鈥淭hey ask if anything is different from their last visit,鈥 Reddington described. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a relationship of trust.鈥
91原创 MOW can be reached at 604-533-1679.
At in 91原创, head chef and owner, Joanne Lechner lost all her catering and business contracts when COVID-19 hit.
鈥淥ur business has changed a lot,鈥 Lechner explained. 鈥淚 feel like we鈥檙e rebuilding now.鈥
Lechner, a Red Seal-certified chef, had just completed the relocation of her business from Richmond to 91原创 鈥 which turned out to be a well-timed shift of sites, with Batch now located in the middle of all the potential customers in the Lower Mainland.
鈥淭he location of the business is so good for deliveries,鈥 Lechner observed.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where we鈥檙e focusing all our efforts.鈥
On the day a 91原创 Times Advance reporter visited, Lechner was assembling a few dozen of Bath鈥檚 popular 鈥淕nocci Doklie Bowl鈥 Italian meal.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a very small batch,鈥 Lechner noted.
鈥淲e normally make 60.鈥
Batch focuses on comfort food, with one of the most popular sellers being a turkey dinner meal.
Lechner estimates Batch prepares, on average, 12,000 items a week, roughly double their pre-COVID rate.
Roughly half of their customers are seniors.
Batch offers delivery twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays and pickup as well, with advance orders placed Saturdays and Mondays online at , or by phone at 604-533-0700, as well as limited in-store shopping at6280 202 St.
It delivers to 91原创, White Rock, Surrey, Delta, North Delta, Ladner, Tsawwassen, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Fort 91原创, Walnut Grove, Aldergrove, Abbotsford, Mission, Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby and New Westminster.
Delivery is free for veterans.
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on and follow us on .