Month: July 2020 Page 1 of 4

After operating out of the College Park United Methodist Church since 1974 without interruption, College Park Meal on Wheels (MoW) is looking for a new space.

Since the pandemic started, the number of residents they serve has nearly tripled, amounting to about 150 clients. The MoW clients need their help more than ever, and more need help each week. They are dedicated to continuing our mission to provide nutritional meals to seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations 3 times a day.

For $5 every day, the program delivers three meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with some snacks — to senior citizens in College Park and other areas in northern Prince George’s County. And elderly people are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

With many residents now hesitant to leave their homes, organizations in College Park — both new and more established — have stepped up to the plate. Though some have begun serving food to older residents and others have offered assistance in completing daily tasks, they share the same goal: making sure people stay safe.

MoW has had hundreds of volunteers from the Prince George’s County community ranging from high school students, college students, differently-abled individuals, and seniors, many of whom were eligible for meals themselves. Their dedicated staff includes six kitchen workers for food preparation, assembly, and packing in thermal bags for pick-up by their eight to twelve volunteer drivers. Due to the pandemic, they can’t provide as much interaction as they usually do. Many of their clients are housebound and they’re the only people they see for long periods of time.

Some of their regular drivers not only deliver meals, but they take clients to doctor appointments and help them with grocery shopping and other errands. They even have one driver who sometimes brings her daughter with her, so that she can play the violin for her clients. They often receive thank you letters and emails from clients or their families, for not only helping their clients to maintain their physical health but for providing them with healthy meals that taste good and friendly interactions. Volunteers now have to wear gloves and masks while making deliveries. And inside the kitchen, surfaces are sanitized twice a day.

MoW is asking for help to raise funds to purchase a building, warehouse, or modular unit, as well as the supplies they need to keep operating and serving their 150+ clients. The equipment they need includes items like the following: Refrigerators, Freezers, Stoves, Worktables, Shelf units, Pots, and pans

Their goal for this is $500,000. A modular unit alone would be about $300,000, and then on top of that, they’d need to purchase land, get water, gas, and electric hook-ups, and acquire all of the necessary permits. Alternatively, to purchase a warehouse or structure in their immediate area, will also cost approximately that much.

Below you will find a link for a Go Fund Me page for Meals on Wheels which is raising monies for the purchase of modular to house its operation.  Please consider making a contribution today and help MOW purchase much-needed equipment and move to a new site.  https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/fund-us-to-feed-them 

Recently, the Hollywood, College Park community lost an active resident Tom Johnson. Tom has been the Hollywood Elementary School PTA president for more than three years. He was always energetic, positive, and care for others.

Please join Tom’s family in celebrating his life this Friday evening, July 24th at 8 PM eastern. The service will be held via Zoom, and the family requests that you please register in advance, and participate as a household to limit the number of registered users. (You may enter more than one name in the “First Name” field to indicate all attendees.) Once you register, you will be e-mailed the link that you will use to join the service. Please note, the registration will be used to create a guest book.

At the last City Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution to support the City’s annual Participation in the Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation.

A volunteering component of the Challenge offers residents the opportunity to participate in the Challenge safely from their home with hands-on, do-it-yourself projects around the house and in the community that protect, preserve, and beautify the environment.

Residents can participate by taking an online pledge to reduce resource consumption at www.mywaterpledge.com