CURWENSVILLE – Meals on Wheels customers might have noticed some changes in service recently. In fact, for many, they are seeing their drivers earlier than before, and might even have a new driver delivering their meals.
That is because Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging was able to construct a new facility in Curwensville, on Cooper Road, and thanks to this new facility they have been able to streamline and make things easier for the drivers.
Rikki Ross, director of planning and marketing, said the facility in Clearfield, which was located beside PGP’s ethanol production facility, was at capacity and CCAAA needed more space for Meals on Wheels.
PGP generously purchased the old property and facility, which will be used by Continental Carbonic, and CCAAA was able to construct the new facility in three months using local contractors and producers.
Then, in early November, the Meals on Wheels program began using the new building. A ribbon cutting was held last week and a public open house is planned for some time in spring of 2017.
The meals are prepared by The Nutrition Group and not only for Clearfield County, but Centre County as well, with separate menus. And the meals for the Centers for Active Living are also produced here.
Ross said the Centre County meals are produced early in the morning and The Nutrition Group’s trucks take them to Centre County. Then, Clearfield County’s meals are taken care of.
Some of the new things that make the work so much easier include drive in bays so the delivery drivers can pull in and load up instead of having to work in the cold. The freezers are now also inside. Ross said there is more room now for storage, etc.
Due to it now being more efficient, new routes have been created for Meals on Wheels. Some of the longer routes have been shortened and meals are being delivered in a timelier manner.
Members of the public can still get involved. The Meals on Wheels program delivers Blizzard Boxes every year to customers. These include three non-perishable meals for emergency situations where the drivers cannot make deliveries.
Each blizzard box is made possible with a $10 donation, which covers the cost of food and supplies for a three-meal box. Then the donor’s name is included on a label explaining how the meal was made possible.
Another way you can help is to take part in the Giving Tree program. CVS and Clearfield Pharmacy and Gift Shoppe have trees with tags. Each tag has information about a senior served by one of CCAAA’s programs and some gift ideas.
You can choose one or more tags, purchase the items and deliver them to CCAAA to be delivered to the recipients.
Ross said anyone can call CCAAA for information at 814-765-2696, visit the Web site at CCAAA.net or visit the Facebook page, which has photos of the new facility.