Free meals for seniors expanded to three new Midlands counties during coronavirus
More senior citizens across the Midlands starting Sunday will have access to free meals in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senior Resources, which had already been offering meals for drive-through pickup to residents 60 years or older in Richland County, announced Friday that it was expanding the service to Lexington, Clarendon and Anderson counties. The explansion is in partnership with the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission, Clarendon Council on Aging and Meals on Wheels Anderson.
The program will run for at least six weeks, supported by a private donor and Southern Way Catering, the organization announced in a news release Friday. Richland County services will continue to run through the end of May.
“Even as the economy begins to re-open, senior citizens remain among the most at-risk for serious COVID-19 complications and are urged to continue social distancing practices,” said Senior Resources Executive Director Andrew Boozer in a statement. “These meals are keeping seniors safe and healthy.”
Meals will be available while supply lasts, but are expected to go fast.
A senior citizen or caregiver can receive one pack of five meals per week. In order to receive a pack, either the senior citizen or caretaker must provide the resident’s state-issued ID, as well as a name, address and phone number at pickup. The senior citizen must also be a resident of the county, and cars will be limited to two meal packs per pickup.
In Richland county, meals will be distributed Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at different locations each day. For a full list of locations, click here.
In Lexington county, meals will be distributed Monday through Friday at different locations each day, starting at 10:30 a.m. and going until meals run out. For the full list of locations ans pickup times, visit lcrac.com. Meals will be distributed in Anderson County on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. For a full list of locations, click here. Times and locations for meal distribution for Clarendon County will be posted on the Council on Aging’s Facebook page.
According to the CDC, older individuals are at a higher risk for complications from COVID-19, especially if they have underlying health conditions. In South Carolina, more than 80% of the state’s 150 deaths have occurred in individuals 61 years or older — the median age of death, as of Tuesday, was 75 years old, according to health officials.
