what no meals

WHAT NO MEALS

i have been delivering meals on wheels now for about
a year
i run a route although its not the one with the largest
number of people its the one thats the longest distance
about a 30 mile route

those people are always waiting for me when i arrive
i realize that  like my mother was when she would get
her meals delivered to her apartment that may be
the only meal they got that day
they like her since some have told me divide the meal
in half and eat part for lunch and part for supper
(or dinner according to where you live
in the south its called supper)

i wonder what they do on weekends and holidays
i dont really want to know

this route i run is about 30 miles north of austin in a
small town that you wouldnt think would have a lot
of poverty around
but let me tell you it does
i drove around and inside this town for years
we passed nearby every day commuting to work
little did i know that there were houses tucked away
that were like those you see on tv from poverty
areas in the deep south like my arkansas alabama or
of course mississippi

some of the houses i wish i could bring one of our
volunteer groups from the habitat and spend a
day cleaning the junk out of the yards and maybe
try cleaning some of the houses

none of the people i deliver to look undeserving of our
service

so it makes me sick yes more nauseated than the aricept
makes me sometimes when i read an article about the
cuts coming to meals on wheels because of our lazy ass
congressman taking the easy way out and just cutting
the s&$* out of everythings budget with no regard to
the people it affects

folks they are not doing their jobs

so far the local meals on wheels have not cut the number
of meals delivered
the small office i deliver out of deliver about 100+ meals a day
because of the cuts there is a waiting list for people needing
meals delivered
someone has to die or drop out or go to a nursing home for a
slot to open up
there never was a waiting list for these services until recently
it all doesnt seem right that this is happening

the office has had to lay off staff and rely on volunteers
luckily they still have their two cooks to cook
ive noticed a delay though in getting the meals to these elderly
folks since the volunteers arent as efficient as the regular workers
were

most of the recipients of these meals are at or near the federal
poverty levels and are one step away from a state supported
nursing home
for some the meals being delivered is whats keeping them from
going into one of these places
($2000 for the meals vs $40,000 a year for the facilities care)
you can do the math

so yes again
shame shame on congress and shame shame on us for letting this
happen

the organicgreen doctor