Meals on Wheels does wellness checks on elderly, provide emergency kits ahead of freeze

Checking on senior citizens during arctic blast

Meals on Wheels is working hard to make sure our elderly population is taken care of during the upcoming freeze and did wellness checks on vulnerable seniors. FOX 26’s Natalie Hee got to see Meals on Wheels deliver emergency kits to those seniors ahead of the arctic blast.

HOUSTON - Meals on Wheels is working hard to make sure Houston's elderly population is taken care of during the freeze. On Thursday, volunteers delivered emergency food kits to dozens of seniors, so they're prepared to hunker down on Friday.

Interfaith Ministries’ Meals On Wheels delivery drivers and volunteers, such as Tracey Hill, help service nearly 5,300 elderly people across Harris, Galveston, Montgomery, Liberty, and Chambers County every day. During emergency situations, they sometimes may be the only people checking in.

"We go in, talk to them, make sure they’re okay, make sure their health is up to par. Sometimes they have no family members come to check on them. We’re the only ones that they’ll see," Hill said.

Houston freeze safety reminders: Heating your home, generators, staying warm

The Houston area is heading into a major freeze with very high winds and bone chilling wind chills. Chief Meteorologist Mike Iscovitz is here with a message to keep everyone as safe as possible during a few difficult weather days.

Meals on Wheels' Operations Manager Jason Salas said he made the decision Monday to deliver emergency kits to seniors a day early so that both their staff, volunteers, and recipients can stay safe and warm during the coldest temperatures.

"On Friday instead of our drivers delivering, we’re going to be doing some wellness checkup calls to make sure they’re doing okay. Making sure they got power, their water is fine, and provide any type of contact information to support them in a time of weather that’s going to be 19-20 degrees," Salas said. "These clients already know these drivers. They have a relationship so it’s not going to be a stranger calling them, it’s going to be their driver they see daily."

Anyone interested in helping can volunteer their time or donate only, click here for more info.