The United Way of the Pennyrile provided information to the Princeton Rotary Club at Tuesday’s meeting about the agencies it supports in Caldwell County. One of these agencies is Pennyrile Allied Community Services (PACS) which operates the county’s senior center, Meals on Wheels and other senior services in Caldwell County.
Rachel Newman with PACS said Meals on Wheels is “dear to her heart” and is an important program because it provides approximately 40 meals a day to seniors in Caldwell County with about 50 seniors on the waiting list. However, she said it’s not just the meals they are delivering to the homes of seniors.
click to download audioShe said the Meals on Wheels Program is more than just delivering meals — it’s also a way to check on the welfare of seniors who may not have anyone else. She noted that there was a case in Caldwell County about eight or nine months ago in which a meal had been delivered to an elderly lady on Friday and she was fine but when they went back on Monday, she didn’t come to the door to get her meal.
click to download audioNewman said that is why the Meals on Wheels Program is important and without the funds from the United Way, PACS would not be able to serve these individuals. She noted they still have 50 on the waiting list because they cannot serve everybody due to a lack of funds. According to Newman, they are also working with Governor Andy Beshear to get additional funding for the senior meal program to help eliminate the waiting list.
In addition to providing meals to seniors in Caldwell County, Newman said they do homemaking services, light housekeeping and personal care. PACS also has the Caldwell County Senior Center.
click to download audioShe pointed out every donation the United Way receives does matter and makes a difference for the Meals on Wheels Program in Caldwell County.
click to download audioNewman noted that during the pandemic they took everyone off of the waiting list and served all seniors during that time because the senior citizen homes were shuttered.
click to download audio
Rotarians also heard from United Way of the Pennyrile Executive Director Betsy Bond and Chandra Barnett with the Pennyrile Children’s Advocacy Center — another United Way agency that provides services to nine counties including Caldwell.
