McBride delivers with Meals on Wheels

A rainy day Aug. 19 did not stop Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth volunteers from doing their duty in delivering hot meals to local homebound residents.

Joining Meals on Wheels for the day was U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride helping driver Gil Hofheimer deliver meals around the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach areas. 

Meals on Wheels has been active in the area for 50 years and mainly serves meals to people over 60 years old who are homebound. Director Chris Strong said 19 different drivers take part and serve hot meals provided by restaurants under the SoDel Concepts banner, with the Aug. 19 offerings provided by Fish On in Lewes. Strong said the nonprofit organization serves 300 meals per day just in the Cape Region. 

Hofheimer’s route with McBride went from developments along Plantation Road out to mobile home parks on Delaware Bay. 

Meals on Wheels operational funding comes from a combination of donations, fundraisers, and state and federal grants. 

While Strong said at this time, federal cuts to government services and nonprofits have not yet affected Meals on Wheels, McBride said it is critical for elected officials to ensure that funding for organizations like Meals on Wheels remains robust and reliable. 

For McBride, the ride-along was an opportunity to see what she called the helpers throughout the state, with Meals on Wheels being one of the biggest. 

“I really appreciate seeing the goodness here in contrast with some of the toxicity in Washington,” she said.

McBride said the value of a program like Meals on Wheels is not only in serving homebound Delawareans a hot, healthy meal, but also giving them someone to talk to via volunteers like Hofheimer.

“At this moment, when for so many there’s a crisis of loneliness, to be able to provide not only  health and food but belonging and fellowship is an important thing for all of us at every level of government to support,” she said.