Bus Drivers Lighten the Load During the Pandemic

It was a five day a week ritual. Cars jockeying for a spot in the parking lot. Voices and laughter in the lobby. Our volunteers were ready to load up their cars to deliver meals that our senior clients depended on and needed.

Then came Covid-19 and life changed for all of us. One most significant change was the need to transition from daily hot meals to once week frozen meals. It created a real challenge for MOW Diablo Region because the size of the deliveries were so large that few of our volunteer’s cars could accommodate all the meals for their whole route. That’s when our friends at County Connection pitched in to help. “We always adapt,” said County Connection Driver Jeff Blair “There was a need and we wanted to help.”

Since March, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has seen a 40% increase in meal delivery clients. While staff is working to create new routes and provide delivered meals to more and more people, the logistics have been a test, but County Connection was there when MOW Diablo Region needed them. “Before Covid-19, I was delivering a hot meal five days a week,” explains Janine Lapping who has been a MOW Diablo Region volunteer for two years. “Now, we are delivering five meals once a week. The best part for me has always been the interaction with the clients. We aren’t able to do it as much with the pandemic, but at least we are still feeding our seniors.”

It really does take a team effort to keep our wheels turning during these trying times. Jeff from County Connection agrees, “Everyone is ready to go with their personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. We take turns loading the buses with coolers filled with meals and off we go.”

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