STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — With grey skies at Monroe County Meals on Wheels in Stroudsburg and snow in the forecast, early morning packing is on the agenda.
Executive director Alyssa Koeck and special events coordinator Stacey Koeck are busy assembling emergency bags with shelf-stable items, like soup and apple sauce, to be given to clients in case they need to cancel deliveries.
Alyssa says keeping an eye on the weather is part of the job.
"That way we can pull our deliveries back, we can make sure clients have emergency bags, and we can just be as prepared as we possibly can.”
The nonprofit that provides meals to more than 300 homebound or disabled adults in the county has already had to cancel once last week due to the weather.
A hot cocoa bar was set up to show thanks for their dedicated volunteers.
“Whether it’s the heat of the summer, whether it’s the cold now, whether it’s walking through the unshoveled paths up to a client's house. They understand the importance of what they’re doing,” says Stacey.
Aside from challenges from Mother Nature, the nonprofit continues to see a need for its resources, with nearly 10 client referrals alone this week.
A normal uptick for the winter season - but now pushing their limits as the nonprofit is also footing the bill of extra meals.
That's where donations of funds and time is in need.
“We know so many of them are on extremely limited fixed incomes, but that means that the cost of something like an emergency bag. The gap between that and what a client can afford to pay is widening and that’s where community support comes in,” says Alyssa.
The nonprofit tells us they’re looking for more volunteers who don’t mind driving in winter weather.
If you’d like to volunteer or donate funds to Monroe County Meals on Wheels head to their website.