As more vulnerable and older adults find themselves homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic, Spokane Valley City Council unanimously voted to award Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels $8,000 to increase the number of meals they are offering.

Janet Dixon, development director for Greater Spokane Valley Meals on Wheels, said the organization has doubled the number of people on its meal delivery program after 140 new clients signed up for the service in 10 days, and people who had been participating in the Silver Cafe events where seniors could do an activity and eat together, switched to home delivery.

“We’ve just been overwhelmed,” Dixon said.

She said in addition to needing to purchase more items, deliveries are now more complicated. Drivers used to go to the door, deliver the meal, have a conversation with the senior and check in with them to make sure they were healthy and had what they needed. They now must knock on the door and leave the meal in a cooler, and they are freezing the meals they make and delivering more food less frequently.

She said after the economy and the public re-opens, Meals on Wheels will continue to social distance to protect the vulnerable people they serve.

“We’re working with such a high risk group, we have to be extra careful,” she said. “We’re going to have to keep these measures for longer.”

She said the Silver Cafe program will also likely not come back in May, and the organization will likely have an increased level of service for the forseeable future.

She said the organization has also incured additional expenses, needing new coolers, trays and protective equipment to serve more people, as well as keep volunteers and seniors safe. She said the additional $8,000 from the city will help Meals on Wheels buy additional food and supplies.

Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels is the second organization the city has awarded additional funding since the outbreak. The city approved $25,000 for Spokane Valley Partners last month.

City Councilwoman Brandi Peetz and Mayor Ben Wick urged those who can to increase their donation, give homemade masks they may have or their time to Meals on Wheels or other nonprofits that need protective equipment and volunteers, as many of their older and more vulnerable volunteers stay home to reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19.