Madison Messenger - April 5th, 2020

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PAGE 8 - MADISON MESSENGER - April 5, 2020 www.madisonmessengernews.com Meals-on-Wheels sees big increase in demand By Dedra Cordle Staff Writer As the chief executive officer of LifeCare Alliance, Charles Gehring recognizes the vital role of volunteers. Since taking the reins nearly two decades ago, he said he has seen a number of similar social service organizations across the state and country fold due to a lack of volunteers. “We just cannot survive without them,” he said. During his tenure, Gehring said he made the recruitment of volunteers a priority in the five counties the organization serves. He said to this day he remains grateful for the overwhelming support they have shown. “We have thousands of active volunteers participating in our programs and services,” he said. “I cannot thank them enough for Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Ohio Public Utilities Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $18.20-$21.40 per month and business services are $34.45-$43.45 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or qualifying broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, and can be on either wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be 20 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload or faster to qualify. A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain a Lifeline discount can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-888-833-9522 or visit centurylink.com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program. all that they do.” While the number of volunteers fluctuates before and after major holidays, Gehring said they have been fortunate to have active volunteers ready to provide assistance as needed. Now, he said, those active volunteers are needed more than ever, and the organization is requesting new volunteers to assemble. “They are desperately needed to help provide services in several of our programs,” Gehring said. Like most businesses and organizations, LifeCare Alliance is feeling the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The organization has taken steps to weather the outbreak but changes are necessary. “We have had to close all 40 of our dining centers throughout the counties we serve,” he said, referring to Champaign, Franklin, Logan, Madison and Marion counties. The dining centers, he added, are hubs of activity where patrons, a majority of whom are older adults or have medical and physical challenges, congregate to eat, chat and see friends. “Due to the closure of our dining centers,” Gehring said, “more than 700 people have had to shift from congregate dining to home deliveries.” In addition to the hundreds of new clients requiring home deliveries, the organization is adding 50 new clients each day. “We are fortunate to be able to still accept clients,” he said. To meet the growing demand, Gehring said the organization needs volunteers for three of its programs: Groceries-on-the-Go where volunteers pack meals for cancer patients and those living with AIDS; weekend pet food deliveries to eligible clients; and Meals-on-Wheels. According to Gehring, more than 5,000 meals are delivered daily across the five counties through Meals-on-Wheels. “It is considered to be one of the largest home meal distribution programs in the country,” he said. Due to an increase in community members who want to remain active or get out of the house during stay-at-home orders, Gehring said the organization has been holding daily volunteer training sessions at its central location at 670 Harmon Ave. in Columbus. “Sometimes, after their training session, they can get right out and get started on a route,” Gehring said. Meal distribution sites at located throughout the counties the organization serves. For instance, if a volunteer lives in Groveport, they do not have to come to Columbus to collect meals as there is a central location in the area. “We do that in all of our areas because it makes the most sense logistically,” he said. “We have many volunteers who live in Madison County, and we know not all of them want to, or can, come to London to pick up meals. So we have locations in Plain City, West Jefferson, Mount Sterling and South Solon. “We try to make it as easy and accessible as possible for our volunteers.” As a precaution, Gehring said temporary changes have been made on route deliveries to protect clients and volunteers. “We are no longer requiring the client’s signature when our volunteers leave their meals by the door,” he said. “We ask that, at this time, the volunteer step away or go back to their car and wait for visual confirmation of the meal pickup. Or they could call and seek verification that way.” There are some exceptions. “We do have some clients who cannot come to the door, so the volunteer will have to go in the house to deliver the meals,” Gehring said. Meals-on-Wheels brings smiles to people’s faces. LifeCare Alliance is in need of more volunteers to continue to make that happen for clients in its five-county area. The organization has asked that volunteers take their temperatures before leaving for their route and to not deliver meals if they feel under the weather. “We want everyone to be safe,” Gehring said. The organization has requested that families delivering meals leave their children in the cars or keep them away from the clients’ home. “There are many families out there who love to do this as a group,” said Gehring. “We still encourage that, but we ask that social distancing be maintained at this time.” He said that despite the new guidelines, he knows the community will come out to support the LifeCare Alliance programs. One such couple who intends to do just that is Karen and Phil Rohr. The Grove City couple has been volunteering with Mealson-Wheels for approximately 20 years and said they have no intention to stop. “We enjoy volunteering for this organization,” said Karen Rohr. “It gives us so much pleasure to be of assistance.” She said they love the interaction they have with the clients (however brief as they have hot meals to deliver) and the comfort they feel knowing they have played a small part in putting food in the stomachs of those who need it. “Some of these wonderful people would probably never get a meal without this organization,” she said. “Knowing that we did something to get them that hot meal makes us feel like we have done something worthwhile.” See MEALS page 9
www.madisonmessengernews.com April 5, 2020 - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 9 A spiritual fixture on Sundays for nearly 50 years Pastor’s calling led him to rehab and retirement centers By Linda Dillman Staff Writer For nearly 50 years, Pastor Ervin Baldwin ministered to the residents of London Health and Rehabilitation. He retired from his long-running service last year. To thank him, the staff and current residents presented him with a plaque and a celebration early last month. Starting humbly with a church bus ministry in the mid-1970s, Baldwin then expanded his territory to serve the religious needs of people at London Health and Rehab. “My wife and I started to go to church in August of 1968,” Baldwin said. “In 1972, our pastor got me started on our church bus ministry. I would start out on Sunday, driving the bus to pick up children for the church service. “Then, at 9:30 a.m., I would go to the nursing home for the Sunday morning service. I believe God led me to the nursing home ministry. When I was young, I always enjoyed talking to the older people.” MEALS Continued from page 8 Baldwin ministered at Madison House for approximately 10 years, at the Madison County jail for about 20 years and at Bluebird Retirement Community for five years, but his longest tenure by far was at London Health and Rehab. “The ministry at the center has meant a lot to me through the years,” he said. “God was there every Sunday.” One of the challenges Baldwin faced in conducting services outside the confines of a traditional brick-and-mortar church was securing the assistance of volunteers, but helpers like Jim Miller and Gary Groves answered that prayer. Ashley Waddle, admissions and marketing director at London Health and Rehab, said the center opened in 1972. Shortly thereafter, Baldwin joined the team as a volunteer. “He was dedicated to providing a way for all the residents to worship and have faith in God during a time when they were in need of some hope and friendship,” Waddle said. “He had many special relationships with residents and staff over the years. “London Health and Rehab is appreciative of his service and dedication to our residents.” Pastor Ervin Baldwin chats with residents at London Health and Rehabilitation where he ministered on Sundays for nearly 50 years. Rohr said she knows it is recommended that older adults limit contact with others, but said that she and her husband have no plans to step away from delivering meals. “We really didn’t have too much of a discussion about it,” she said. “We felt that if we followed the organization’s new guidelines, it would be fine to continue to deliver meals.” She said she would recommend becoming a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer to anyone able to, global pandemic or not. “It is just a great way to give back to your community,” she said. To learn more about volunteering for any of the programs, call (614) 444-6325 or visit www.lifecarealliance.org. Background checks are required to become a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer. Additionally, the organization is accepting clients for a number of their programs. To check for eligibility, call (614) 278-3130 or visit www.lifecarealliance.org.
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Madison Messenger - April 5th, 2020

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