Meals on Wheels giving out survival rations?

My mother has been receiving food (lunch) from the "meals on wheels" program for several years. It is a program that offers delivered food services to elderly people with low incomes.

Anyway, today when they dropped off her food they also gave her 5 days of dehydrated rations. She asked why and the delivery person said they didn't know, "but it must be some new program for emergencies".

Anyone else heard of this before? My mother has been in the program for several years and has never had it happen before.

I am in the UK so have no idea to your protocols - however I do find this curious.

We need to look up the meals on wheels program in your city to investigate this.
Where does your mother live?must be this
Meals on wheels


ETA
After thinking about it, it could be that it's just because it has a longer shelf life and seniors tend not to notice food has expired.

Inkster, Michigan, USA.

+EDIT - I looked at the national MOWAA website but didn't see anything referencing the "emergency rations".

reply to post by violet


That would make sense, but they are pretty strict on only giving one meal at a time (per day). She never gets multiple days of food, even on holidays. I really can't see spoilage playing a part.

I was thinking maybe they anticipate issues with delivery during the winter. With our budget so far in the red, I can see snow removal not being provided as often this year..

It's amazing what stories you come across searching for something else.
This is outrageous!!
Feeding The Homeless BANNED In Major Cities All Over America
Link

Originally posted by 200Plus
reply to post by violet

 

That would make sense, but they are pretty strict on only giving one meal at a time (per day). She never gets multiple days of food, even on holidays. I really can't see spoilage playing a part.

I was thinking maybe they anticipate issues with delivery during the winter. With our budget so far in the red, I can see snow removal not being provided as often this year..

I see what your saying if she gets it every day. It can't be snowing there yet though? Do you have any storms brewing?

I think you should call and ask what it was for, that your mother is confused

reply to post by 200Plus


I would agree with your assessment. I would also say that someone may have donated the emergency rations. Is there an expiration date on the packaging? Maybe a gov't agency, clearing out old inventory, donated them instead of throwing them out.

It could just be that they are providing these in case they are unable to deliver due to weather or budget.

Yea, I'll swing by her house tomorrow and get the contact info from the delivery people.

No storms here. Still in the 50's and 60's most days.

I am sure it's not a sign of impending doom or anything. I was just curious as to whether anyone else had observed this.

They're forecasting that this winter is going to be a bad one. MREs will last well past winter, so if the food can't be delivered then people have meals. They won't taste great, but they won't starve either. Winter Park, Colorado is calling for something like 5 inches by Wednesday. It's the higher elevations, but if it's already that much, this early, then the rest of us are probably looking at a bad winter.

I use to work in a town delivering meals on wheels , well if you can label it as work, its more volunteer,
But never seen this before. although i do think its a great idea because most meals on wheels only operate 3 days a week or so, due to budget cuts, to take them a small supply of food in case of emergencies is a good thing. I wish they would have done this the whole time. Some of those elders don't have much and have to count on food banks and others for food the rest of the time.

No they very seldom deliver on Holidays, but they do make holiday dinners, usually on the day they deliver food before the actual holiday.

The one i delivered for only sent food Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I would also go in and help cook and prepare.

Honestly i Enjoyed it, met a lot of great people, I worked full time over nights and would do the meals on wheels 3 days a week during the day, did this for about 4 years until i moved.

I lived in UK so i have no idea about it.

Sounds like they are expecting a bad winter in the area, though I'm not surprised even in the UK I think most of us are expecting a real doozy after the summer we've had. Giving the old dears something extra sounds like a great idea.

Originally posted by 200Plus
My mother has been receiving food (lunch) from the "meals on wheels" program for several years. It is a program that offers delivered food services to elderly people with low incomes.

Anyway, today when they dropped off her food they also gave her 5 days of dehydrated rations. She asked why and the delivery person said they didn't know, "but it must be some new program for emergencies".

Anyone else heard of this before? My mother has been in the program for several years and has never had it happen before.

With respect..... it might be time for you to stock her pantry with some canned and long life products.

It cant hurt.

reply to post by mungodave


I fill the house with groceries weekly for her. She has canned goods, dry goods, and fresh food. I even made her a "light" travel bag, with a few days worth of food and water.

The fact that it was an organization that gave out survial rations is what bugged me.

The weather is the only valid reason I can see for this happening. A few years ago, a largeportion of the area lost power for several days during an ice storm. With the slow speed of decision making, it's possible the rations are a result of that happening.

Originally posted by 200Plus
reply to post by mungodave

 

The fact that it was an organization that gave out survial rations is what bugged me.

Freemasonry doesn't cause a Zombie Apocalypse without giving it's victims a fighting chance... ie: plenty of info-tainment about how to survive, CDC websites on it, emergency meals on wheels etc...

i mean if they didn't then they'd be like.. terrorists or something ..

Originally posted by 200Plus
Yea, I'll swing by her house tomorrow and get the contact info from the delivery people.

No storms here. Still in the 50's and 60's most days.

I am sure it's not a sign of impending doom or anything. I was just curious as to whether anyone else had observed this.

Just curious if you got the contact info and called MOW. I don't know why but this is interesting to me. I am sure it is all due to the coming winter.

Not to threadjack, but God bless Meals on Wheels. They are SO good man. Ive had many senior friends of mine that they have taken care of, and that company has been a staple to our seniors for decades. One of the last "good" corporations IMO. Love those people.

My mother worked for the MEAAA and directed the meals on wheels folks, dealt with the clients and their dietary restrictions, dealt with medicare issues, etc.. Ive never heard her mention this, but Ill give the ol raisin a call today and see if she ever encountered it.
I rather like the idea of emergency rations being given to our weakest citizens.

I called and they said it was a program for emergency preparedness. I guess they plan to do it once a year in the fall. I looked through the stuff and it's pretty much a "Jimmy Dean". They just replaced the sandwich with cans of stew and beans.

The only paperwork that came with the box shows the five day menu plan and instructions for tornado procedures.

+ BTW - Bless the MoW program indeed. My mother volunteered there for many years when she was younger and I helped out. I usually give a few hours a month to local food banks, but I may get back into MoW myself.