Meals on Wheels

This week, we're taking a closer look at how food insecurity and the ongoing affordability crisis are impacting some of our most vulnerable residents.

Today, we're looking at how Meals on Wheels continues to serve homebound people despite the rising cost of fuel and groceries.

Alyssa Deaton is the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County.

She explained how their operation works and what challenges they've been facing this year.

Alyssa, thanks so much for joining us.

Yes, thank you so much for having me.

I'm looking forward to visiting.

During your average Meals on Wheels route in Tarrant County, how many miles is someone driving?

We're going to talk about a wonderful gesture that's being made by a publican in Balbriggan to local charities.

Brandon Dempsey is the owner of Dempsey's Bar in the Town and Helen Davis is a fantastic lady who works with Balbriggan Meals on Wheels.

Brandon, Helen, hello, welcome to the show.

Hello, how are you? Hello, how are you?

And your profits for this year, 2026, are all going to charity? All

going to charity, 100%.

And tell us, how did you decide or who did you decide? We know we're going to talk to Meals on Wheels.

Who else will benefit? Is it a finite number of clubs and charities that you've chosen?

Good morning.

I have Meals on Wheels.

Jessica's here with Christy, and they are here to talk about what do you guys have coming up for Meals on Wheels for Halloween? So for Halloween, we

have our indoor trick-or-treating from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Turn of the Car Community Center located at 301 East McNeil.

It's all free for the community and it is indoors where it's going to be warm.

Nice,

nice.

So free Halloween meals on wheels, guys.

Jamie Kimball again is the general manager at the Utah Olympic Park.

Well, Wasatch Back Meals on Wheels facing a funding shortage that's left more than 300 seniors on its waiting list for meal deliveries.

The program now seeking donations and volunteers to help meet the growing need.

Jimmy Golding, executive director of Meals on Wheels, serving Summit, wasatch and utah county says about 200 seniors in the wasatch back receive a hot meal each day another 800 are served in utah county

right now due to our waiting list we would need about 900 000 to be able to serve to every single person that has a need that's reached out to us now having said that we have received quite a few donations and a lot of community support which we are very grateful for but obviously that need is still growing you know this is a population that is is vulnerable and is very important and we want to make sure that they are seen and that they are heard and that the community understands how that they might be able to to help us

While funding sources are holding steady, food and fuel costs are rising.

Yeah, I think so.

Right beside the brand new Meals on Wheels, which looks nice.

Meals on Wheels.

What did I say?

Meals and Wheels.

Yeah, I think so.

Right beside the brand new Meals on Wheels, which looks nice.

Meals on Wheels.

What did I say?

Meals and Wheels.

Like, no, these people intentionally chose to take food out of the mouths of hungry children.

Seniors who rely on Meals on Wheels are veterans who have so capably served this country heroically.

They have chosen to cut off these folks from their nutrition assistance, meaning that these folks are going hungry.

Let me just really start there.

And each morning, I would get up for work at 6 a.m.

I ran Meals on Wheels for Rock County.

I would get up 6 a.m. And for the first couple weeks, it was get up, stretch.

How do I make my body wake up? I somewhat sympathize with LeBron James when he said he's getting his 42-year-old body ready to play basketball in his 23rd season because...