Meals on Wheels resumes after storm

LAS CRUCES - Lorraine Paz saw "Ana" for the first time in several days Friday, and it was a welcome visit.

Ana is one of eight drivers for the city of Las Cruces' Meals on Wheels program, which delivers hot and cold meals to elderly and shut-in residents. But because of the incredibly cold and inclement weather, which slowed down just about every aspect of the city, Ana and the program couldn't deliver meals to approximately 220 clients on Wednesday and Thursday.

"It gives us a lot of nourishing food we wouldn't otherwise be able to eat," said Paz, 84, of the Meals on Wheels program. "It's a big help."

Mike Simione, senior nutrition manager, said there was no way that two days of non-deliveries was going to turn into three, even though city government had to almost completely shut down because of the inclement weather and the effects it has caused.

"We felt very strongly that we were not going to let the seniors go Friday, (today) and Sunday without food," Simione said. "We all feel just as strongly that we have a responsibility to the seniors, and we wanted to live up to those."

So, phone calls went out Thursday to Senior Nutrition Program staff members who came to work Friday to make and deliver a combined 1,320 meals to the approximately 220 people who are enrolled in the meal program. Of the meals prepared and delivered, 460 were hot meals, 220 were frozen meals that can be heated and eaten either today or Sunday, and 880 cold breakfasts.

Simione said

seeing the expressions on the faces of many clients, and the camaraderie of Senior Nutrition Program staff members working together to see that the senior citizens were properly fed, made a lasting impression on him.

"We're blessed with a wonderful staff, we really are," Simione said.

And, an important lesson was learned.

"Flexibility is more than a byword in the food service industry," said Simione, of the greatest lesson learned from a week of extreme weather conditions.

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452.

Meals on wheels

•The city of Las Cruces' Meals on Wheels program, which provides elderly and shut-in residents with meals, prepared and distributed 1,320 hot and cold meals Friday.

•The meals went to 220 residents who have signed up for the program.

•Because of record cold temperatures that essentially shut down city, county, state and federal government agencies throughout Do-a Ana County, the Meals on Wheels program was not able to operate Wednesday and Thursday.

•Before the bad weather hit, clients were provided with two shelf-stable meals that included foodstuff such as canned tuna or chicken, canned ravioli or canned vegetables.

•The meals are expected to last the clients through the weekend.

•Barring unexpected weather conditions or other circumstances, the Meals on Wheels program is expected to resume regular service on Monday.

•Clients of the program can call (575) 528-3012 for reservations or cancellations. Clients living outside the city can call (800) 397-3544.

•To learn more about the City of Las Cruces Senior Programs, visit www.las-cruces.org/public-services/

senior-programs/default.

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