Local nonprofits are working to help protect some of the regions most-vulnerable residents, while fighting against rising costs and increasing demand.
Meals on Wheels programs serving both Cheshire and Hillsborough counties reported rising food and administrative costs this year.
Transitional shelters, such as Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter in Peterborough and Shelter from the Storm in Jaffrey, which provide long-term places to stay for residents to establish enough savings to move into a permanent location, have seen an increased demand.
Increasing grocery costs hit local Meals on Wheels programs
Susan Ashworth, director of community relations at Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services, which provides Meals on Wheels services for some Cheshire County towns, including Jaffrey and Rindge, said the program serves 20 people in Rindge and 16 in Jaffrey.
While needs fluctuate annually, Ashworth said there has been an overall increase in need, particularly in Rindge, as the population ages.
Like everyone, Ashworth said Meals on Wheels is contending with inflation. The cost to purchase food has risen about 8 percent.
Jon Eriquezzo, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County, which opened a new distribution center in Peterborough about six months ago, said the program has seen about a 12 percent increase in clientele.
As the largest Meals on Wheels program in the state, the Hillsborough County chapter serves about 2,000 people annually, so cost increases have been a big hit to the organization this year. Their budget increased by about 15 percent, meaning there is an extra $250,000 to raise.
Eriquezzo said the program is funded about 60 percent through the state, but the rest is raised mostly through private donations.
For the Cheshire County program, rising costs have meant a reduction in some of the services they used to provide, Ashworth said.
“Due to increasing costs, we are no longer able to provide breakfast bags and frozen meals for the weekends,” Ashworth said. “Seven people in Jaffrey and Rindge were recipients of these additional meals. We are working with people to fill the gap with other services, and of course if we can raise funds, we will restore the breakfast and frozen meal option.”
While there is an application and approval process for Meals on Wheels, Ashworth said it’s a common misconception that the clients they serve are dealing with poverty. Many of their clients are elderly, and may be on a fixed income, but qualify for the program because they can no longer reliably make a meal for themselves every day.
“There are a lot of people unable to get out, for a variety of reasons,” explained Kathleen LaRou, meal site manager for Jaffrey Meals on Wheels distribution site. “They can’t drive, or stand long enough to shop or prepare meals. This gives them a meal, but we also get to know the people on our route, and it also works as a daily wellness check.”
Ashworth said the program is “critical” for helping people stay in their homes.
“I like to say it’s the knot at the end of the rope,” she said. “If a person or a family member is trying to do the laundry, care for the household, get the meals, it’s an overwhelming task. And if we can do one of those things – help with the meal – it’s one less thing they need to do.”
Eriquezzo said it has become increasingly important to have that point of contact. Since COVID-19, people are increasingly isolated, he said.
In a yearly survey, Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough Country asks if their clients receive any other regular visitors throughout the week. In previous years, about 20 percent would say no, Eriquezzo said.
“Since the pandemic, over the past three years, it’s gone up to 60 percent,” Eriquezzo said. “And that’s consistent year over year. We just got the stats in for this year, and it was 59 percent. That’s alarming, that that many people are that isolated.”
Transitional shelters aid those in need of homes
The Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter in Peterborough and Shelter from the Storm in Jaffrey have similar models and missions. They are not emergency shelters, but provide apartments for individuals or families who are homeless, for a steady stretch of time.
Those who use the apartments may stay in them a year or longer, and during that time, they can get assistance in financial planning and are required to put a percentage of their earnings into savings to prepare to eventually move to a more-permanent situation.
“What I think people in Jaffrey and Rindge picture homelessness as is people sleeping on the streets, but that’s not always the case. Often, it’s people couch-surfing and trying to find a place to live,” said Shelter from the Storm Executive Director Linda Harris. “It’s a terrible way to picture homelessness, because there are so many types.”
Ernie Belletete, vice president of the MATS board of directors, who is set to transition to president of the organization Jan. 1, said he has seen a variety of situations in his career as an officer with the Peterborough Police Department and working with MATS.
Belletete said in the last five years, the organization has seen people needing to stay for longer periods of time. The need became so acute, the organization purchased a building and converted it to a duplex to allow for longer-term stays, increasing the number of apartments available from four to six.
“A lot of it has to do with the housing market,” Belletete said. “We need more affordable housing. The average for someone to stay with us used to be about six to eight months. Now, it’s a year to a year-and-a-half. Housing is tough – it is very expensive now. Rents are going up, and it makes it hard for someone in transitional housing to find an apartment.”
Operating similarly to MATS, Shelter from the Storm in Jaffrey has five apartments it uses as transitional shelter. It has explored obtaining a sixth apartment in New Ipswich.
“Right now, we get calls or emails two or three times a week, asking for help,” said Harris.
Currently, some of those calls are from people affected by rising rents. After one Jaffrey landlord raised rent by $400 per month, Harris said she got calls from three families who could no longer afford their apartments.
Both organizations rely on community funding for their programs, as well as grants.
“People have been very supportive of this mission. There are many that have continued to donate for many years,” said Belletete.
All four organizations subsist largely on community donations. Make donations to MATS at matsnh.org, Shelter from the Storm at shelterfromthestormnh.org, Cheshire County Meals on Wheels at hcsservices.org or Hillsborough County Meals on Wheels at hcmow.org.
All organizations said their main need was financial donations, but Meals on Wheels also has volunteer opportunities. Transitional shelters may have a wish list of physical items at any given time. Contact the organizations directly for other possible needed donations.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaarMLT.