Meals-On-Wheels resuming meals on weekends

By SEAN McCARTHY

Eagle Times Correspondent
CLAREMONT, NH – Sullivan County Meals-On-Wheels will once again be providing weekend meals.

Brenda Burns, executive director of Sullivan County Meals-on-Wheels, said the reopening is due to the generosity of the communities supported by the program.

“After the astonishing support from Ruger Investment Castings in Newport, NH, the local community, the city of Claremont and supporters like the Claremont and Charlestown VFWs, we will begin contacting clients who lost weekend meals to inform them they will once again be available for this year,” Burns said.

The cancellation of weekend meals was due to the state slashing $55,000 from the Sullivan County Meals-on-Wheels program.

The program provides a vital lifeline for challenged and vulnerable residents. Claremont was especially hard hit as the city is one of the poorest communities in New Hampshire, Burns added. Shut-in residents rely heavily on social programs like Meals-on-Wheels to make ends meet and maintain a basic quality of life, Burns said.

Officially called Sullivan County Nutritional Services, the program has served senior citizens, individuals with disabilities and low-income families since 1972.

Meal-On-Wheels provides a lifeline for those who would otherwise go hungry or suffer from malnutrition. The program also helps reduce the burden on caregivers and families, allowing vulnerable individuals to continue living independently by ensuring they receive needed nutrition.

“Resources I have found indicate that Sullivan County is the second poorest county in New Hampshire,” she said. “The income reported by current clients shows that more than 50 percent of those we serve are at or below poverty levels.” 

The Claremont City Council has voted to provide $10,000 out of its current budget to help stabilize Meals-on-Wheels.

Burns said the cut was the result of a state budgeting error.

“State officials have admitted there was an error in calculating the distribution of units specifically, Title XX. The state did try to correct the issue, but it was not carried out as described. Some funds were reinstated, but not at the same level of loss.”

“It sounds like an administrative horror story,” said State Legislator Walter Stapleton, R-Claremont, who has been vocal in his opposition to the state cuts.