Apr 22, 2020 2 min read

As director of the Meals on Wheels @ The Crossroads, I was saddened to close down our regular kitchen operation that normally sends hot meals to 165 senior citizens in a wide circle around our Donaldson’s Crossroads kitchen, including McMurray, Venetia, Canonsburg, Houston, Finleyville, Eighty Four, and Bridgeville and the areas between.

Collecting 20 to 25 people to make and deliver the meals on 12 routes was just not wise. What has happened has amazed and delighted me. Our drivers stepped up to the plate to call all the seniors on their routes on a regular basis to offer support and to find out who needed food. Many clients are receiving enough help from families and good neighbors, but at least 75 are not. For those, our drivers pick up food from the kitchen or from stores and take it out, including essentials like dog food. Some drivers and also our chef are cooking meals at home and delivering them a few days a week along with the nonperishable items.

Where do we get the food to send out from our kitchen? From the kindness of people all around our area who have acted quickly to help us restock our nonperishable food supply and provide what seniors need.

Early on in the crisis, Colony Manor held a neighborhood collection that brought a huge amount of items to us. Other people have brought things directly to our kitchen doors at the back of the shopping center. (The kitchen is staffed from 9 a.m. to noon every weekday morning.) Checks have also been pouring in to help us serve our seniors.

When Texas Roadhouse offered us a great deal on meals for all our seniors, we used some of the donated money to buy 75 meals. When we picked them up, we realized that for many of our clients it would be enough for two meals! Kudos to that restaurant!

The generosity of our friends and neighbors is overwhelming. Sometimes a crisis brings out the best in all of us. We are grateful and send our deepest thanks to all who have helped.

Susan Hanawalt

McMurray