Meals on Wheels is known for handing out food to those in need, but they’re also keeping their furry friends healthy, too.
“By the time I get through paying my bills and rent, I barely got anything leftover for them, but I make sure they eat first,” said Boyd McCoy, a Meals on Wheels recipient.
This isn’t a new program, but it is a service people might not known Meals on Wheels provides.
If people cannot prepare meals for themselves or get out of the house to shop, then they probably are unable to get out of the house to shop for their pets either, Mary Gerlach, assistant director of Meals on Wheels, said.
Meals on Wheels gives more than 1,600 pounds of dog and cat food for more than 200 pets a month.
For the homebound, having a pet to keep them company is important, and for McCoy, his rescue dog, Honey Girl, gives him peace of mind.
“Honey Girl here is a rescue,” McCoy said. “An old lady didn’t want her anymore, so about five years ago, a pet groomer asked me if i’d take her.”
An injury left McCoy disabled and unable to work, giving him a hard time to take care of his pets.
“Well ever since my accident, they’ve been my lifeline,” McCoy said. “If I didn’t have these two, I probably would’ve went crazy a long time ago.”
It’s not just his pets he looks forward to hanging out with everyday. He also enjoys talking with the delivery drivers every week.
“Volunteers, I suspect, and this is a good example, get more out of this than the people we serve,” Dick Weddige, a volunteer at Meals on Wheels, said. “It’s a chance to visit with people and find out about them and how their life is.”
Weddige and his wife, who’s been volunteering for more than 40 years, go beyond just delivering meals and pet food. They know Dr Pepper is an extra treat for McCoy.
“They’re not my animals, they’re my family,” McCoy said.
