When inclement weather strikes, Loaves & Fishes Centers has traditionally depended on an immediate response from Portland-Vancouver area residents with four-wheel-drive vehicles to deliver Meals-On-Wheels to homebound seniors. However, due to a change in Oregon law which requires nonprofit agencies to implement the state’s DHS background check system for volunteers, which precludes immediate verification, Loaves & Fishes Centers has modified emergency planning procedures.
In light of the state requirement, Loaves & Fishes Centers will NOT request emergency drivers during inclement weather. Those who wish to volunteer during inclement weather must register during October so there is time to complete the DHS background check.
To ensure that all homebound seniors have sufficient meals during inclement weather, Loaves & Fishes Centers will deliver a two-day supply of shelf-stable meals during on Tuesday, Nov. 17, to nearly 3,000 homebound seniors throughout Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. Seniors will receive instructions to save these meals until they receive a call from their local Loaves & Fishes Center advising them to use these emergency supplies. On days when weather is so severe that the majority of volunteer drivers cannot deliver meals, Loaves &Fishes Centers staff will phone all Meals-On-Wheels recipients to conduct a wellness check and to instruct seniors to consume one of their emergency meals. A cadre of pre-approved emergency weather drivers will be available to bring food to those seniors who are completely without food.
Since 1970 Loaves & Fishes Centers has provided a nutritional and social lifeline for seniors through 31 meal sites in Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties and Meals-On-Wheels delivery to homebound seniors. With the help of more than 7,500 volunteers, the nonprofit, secular agency now serves 5,000 meals daily and more than 1.4 million meals each year. The agency celebrates 40 years of service to seniors in 2010 with its vision that no senior will go hungry or experience social isolation.
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(503) 736-6325 | 
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