How can community leaders help create supportive environments to ensure the health and safety of their communities?
MEALS ON WHEELS
"We serve about 1,500 meals every day for our patients, visitors and employees at the hospital; it's just second nature for us to share the food we are preparing with people in our community who aren't able to prepare a meal on their own."
- H. SCOTT GREENLEY, DIRECTOR OF NUTRITION SERVICES
For more than 20 years, Chester County Hospital has been providing nourishing meals to the clients of Meals on Wheels of Chester County in the areas of West Chester Borough, West Bradford Township, Newlin Township and part of East Bradford Township (together, known as BradLin).
Meals on Wheels of Chester County, which is funded in part by the Chester County Department of Aging Services as well as community donations, delivers meals to "anyone, regardless of age or economic status, who is homebound, handicapped or convalescing from an illness or operation and unable to prepare a nutritious meal for themselves." Through this well-known program, housebound residents can maintain good healthy eating habits, remain independent, find needed assistance or care and live life with dignity, according to the Meals on Wheels of Chester County website.
Chester County Hospital's staff members in the Nutrition Services department prepare and package about 425 meals each month for distribution on Monday through Friday. (The hospital receives a partial reimbursement for the meals.)
"From the medical care we provide to the meals we serve, we are committed to keeping our neighbors healthy. Eating well has a strong connection to being well. Giving people access to freshly made meals fits in with our mission. It's a communitywide initiative that we are happy to be part of for all these years," said Greenley.