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Elizabeth is a new enrollee who lives alone, like nearly a quarter of older adults in Chesapeake. With her mobility issues, cooking is difficult. When she first called us, she shared that she has a hard time getting to the store, since she lives in a food desert and can no longer drive. And lately it’s been hard for her to afford groceries. She shops flyer sales and manager specials to get by. But these days the specials are sold out or just not cheap enough. “I have to scrabble for deals and have to settle for discounted meats and dairy, which isn’t always the healthiest of options.” Like the rest of us, Elizabeth has experienced rapid and sustained inflation resulting in higher prices at checkout. And like 11% of her senior neighbors in Chesapeake and 30% of MOWC participants, Elizabeth survives on a fixed income of less than $1,215/month.

On her first day receiving meals, Elizabeth called us in tears. She was relieved to have a hot, wholesome lunch of meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed cabbage, and a roll to sit down to, with a second meal to put in her fridge for dinner. She said, “Today I didn’t look in my pantry to see what was in there that would make a meal.”

We checked in with Elizabeth recently, and are pleased to report that she is doing well: “The delivery volunteers are bright, courteous, and cheerful. They always brighten my day. Being a diabetic, my meals are always catered to me and provide the nutrition I need, on top of being delicious. My blood pressure and sugar are down, thanks to the healthy meals.”