The Centralia Project Bread Meal Site reopened for one day on Monday as State Representative Charlie Meier cooked a special meal as earlier promised.
“I have smoked porkchops, baked potatoes, slaw and green beans for them, so they’ll have a warm healthy meal for this upcoming holiday season,” Meier said. “I washed the potatoes at home, then I came up here at four o’clock this morning and we started cooking this meal.”
113 meals were delivered to Meals on Wheels recipients by volunteers, while about 35 others were welcomed back to the congregate meal site for the first time since October. Each recipient will also receive a bag of sustainable food to utilize in the next two weeks.
The Executive Director of BCMW Jessica Backs says it’s still uncertain when the Salem and Centralia Meal Sites will reopen.
“We can figure out whenever we are going to obtain our October payment, then that will give us some guidance on when we can open back up,” Backs said. “Right now we are looking at a soft open that would consist of opening both meal sites for five days a week combined. Maybe three days a week in Centralia, two days a week in Salem.”
Backs says the overdue payments have now received payments for July, August, and September. She doesn’t want to reopen, just to have to shut down again.
Meier now believes the problem with the tardy checks is in the Illinois Department of Aging.
“It seems to be that the problem is at the state (level), and there’s not enough workers in the Department of Aging, so they’re just not getting the vouchers over to the comptroller’s office for her to pay,” Meier said. “That does not seem right at all. We can take care of everybody in our welcome centers, illegal (immigrants), and we can’t take care of people who have worked in America their whole life, paid taxes to the state of Illinois, and now we’re denying them their senior meals.”
WJBD-WSIQ has asked the Illinois Department of Aging for an explanation of what is causing the problem. Meanwhile, volunteers are now providing meals to those who received Meals on Wheels and Project Bread in Salem and the rural areas of Marion County.
Seniors enjoying their meals on Monday. Photo by Austin Williams.
Survival bags for delivery. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Contents of a survival bag. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
