Cash-starved Meals-on-Wheels facing closure

Louise Walsh

A Meath Meals-on-Wheels service may face closure due to the worst funding crisis it has experienced in its 40 -year history.

The voluntary run initiative in Duleek is now appealing for donations in order to continue providing hot meals to over 30 people in the village.

At present, monies are fast running out to cover the deficit they face each week in buying the ingredients alone.

"We have never seen it as bad and it's so disheartening," explained Matilda Murphy who has been volunteering with the group since it was started by then Parish Priest Fr O'Reilly 41 years ago.

"It costs us about €240 a week for meat and vegetables to provide three hot dinners to about 32 people who are asked to pay a weekly contribution of €5.

"People used to run golf classics and raffles which would bring in nearly €3,000 to us a year and the church would also subsidise us but that 's all gone now.

"Many fundraisers are now for the youth, which is hugely commendable but as I always say, the elderly seem to be the forgotten ones.

"Mind you, people are very good and give what they can and places like the community shop and the Duleek Credit Union are always fantastic to us but you can't keep going back begging to the same people all the time."

Matilda explained that it's not just hot dinners that the service provides but also peace of mind and company for the recipients.

"There are 30 volunteers  between drivers and cooks and two FAS workers who deliver the meals in Duleek, Bellewstown, Donore and Ardcath to people who can't get around due to ill health, age or disability.

"The drivers are often the only people they see every day and if the drivers can't get in, then alarm bells start ringing.

"It has happened on a number of occasions where the cautious drivers have alerted emergency services who have found people who have fallen in their homes."

Those in receipt of Meals-on-Wheels are often referred from the public health nurse and some temporarily get the service while recuperating from an operation.

The two-course meals consist of meat and vegetables and a dessert. 

"Some days it would be stew with potatoes and apple crumble.  It would always be quality ingredients because it might be the only nutritional meals these people get a week.  Some even save half of the meal for the next day as we only deliver on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays."

"We can't ask people for more money as they are trying to heat their homes and keep a roof over their heads on a pension

"But we can't go on like this.  I've never seen it this bad and if things don't improve, it will finish us," she said.