STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — For more than 50 years Monroe County Meals on Wheels has provided food and services to hundreds of people in the Poconos.
Monroe County Meals on Wheels in Stroudsburg is seeing a staggering uptick in clients who need their services as they just surpassed helping more than 350 people every week.
“We’re all affected by the increase in cost and things like that, but it could be as simple as somebody has an aging parent and they don’t live in the state,” said Stacey Koeck the special events coordinator for Monroe County Meals on Wheels.
August is always a busy month for the nonprofit as they use it to spread awareness for its donation drives where several townships are collecting household essentials for its clients as well as public libraries collecting pet food donations through the end of the month.
“Without community support, we would have to end both of them and our clients have come to depend on both of them to assist them in their daily lives,” Koeck added.
Children receive free helmets at Pittston Tomato FestivalKoeck says normally in the summertime they see a lull in the need for their services but this year they are seeing the exact opposite.
Now in addition to household and pet item donations, they’re looking for people’s time.
Volunteers can donate as much as every single day, or as little as once a month, helping distribute meals throughout the communities. The volunteers are a huge staple to both the non-profit and its clients packing up and dropping off nutritional meals and a smile.
“We had a client once tell us that, ‘you make me feel like I matter and like I’m important,' and that’s what I tell anyone I talk to who’s interested in helping us in any way,” Koeck says.
If you’re interested in volunteering at Monroe County Meals on Wheels you can reach out or stop by their office off Polk Valley Road.
Although the township and library donation drives end on September 1 Monroe County Meals on Wheels continues the household essential and pet food drives at their Stroudsburg location throughout the year.
Head to the Meals on Wheels website for how you can help out the organization.
Sydney Kostus live at 6:30 a.m.
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