hoodrivernews.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 A15
HOOD RIVER NEWS | Hood River, Ore.
Hood River Valley Adult Center continues serving meals
By TRISHA WALKER
News staff writer
It’s not business as usual at
the Hood River Valley Adult
Center, but Executive Director
Amy Mallett is doing her best
to continue serving meals to
the patrons it serves.
And she’s doing it with se-
nior center staff only.
The center is closed to the
public, but from noon to 1
p.m. every weekday, those 60
and over are able to pick up a
“drive-thru” hot meal in keep-
ing with its usual senior lunch
schedule.
Staff is also delivering to
Meals on Wheels clients.
Mallett said that, with the
vulnerable population the cen-
ter serves with its Meals on
Wheels program, the only way
to control the possible spread
Sawtooth.
“That’s been helpful,” Mallett
said.
The annual Meals on Wheels fundraiser — the center’s largest — has
Because of the increase in
been postponed from its scheduled date earlier this month. “It will be
costs, the center has applied
rescheduled,” Mallett said. “When all this is over, everyone will be ready
for emergency grant funding,
for a party.”
“and now it’s a waiting game,”
she said.
“We will go into reserves if
of COVID-19 is to utilize staff has also been handing out sur-
instead of its usual cadre of plus potatoes, onions, apples we need to.”
All nonprofits are facing the
volunteers.
and pears, milk and bread in
“I want to control it the best addition to meals.
I can,” she said, “and I can do
“Yesterday it was meatloaf,
that with staff. When they’re mashed potatoes, lemon bars
not at work, they’re at home and vegetables,” she said. The
and not in public.”
same nutritional guidelines are
This is especially important being met.
because not all of the seniors
Costs have gone up because
who receive meals are able to staff are delivering meals —
come to the door for delivery; and because of the additional
at some houses, food must be supplies it takes in the form
brought inside.
of trays and containers — but
“We are meeting needs with HRVAC has also received food
home delivery and the drive- donations from businesses
up meals,” she said. The center like Full Sail, Pietro’s Pizza and
Mardi Gras canceled
same budgeting dilemma, she
added. “Everyone’s budgets for
the year are blown. My board
said, 'Serve our seniors, I don’t
care what it takes.’ And I have
the best staff in the world, who
show up every day.”
Mallett comes from Santa
Barbara and said she thought
people were helpful there.
“But here, this is beyond
anything I’ve ever seen,” she
said.
■
While closed, HRVAC is un-
dergoing a thorough cleaning,
Mallet said. Everything from
tables and walls to pencils and
pens are being sanitized, work-
ing in a grid pattern through-
out the building.
WE’RE OPEN AND
HERE TO HELp!
OPEN Daily @ 11am
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Submitted photos
C HEER I N C HALK
On March 25 and 26, someone left a series of encouraging sidewalk chalk messages for local
health workers who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, at Hood River County Health
Department and Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital. "The Health Department staff was
greeted this morning with some wonderful sidewalk art! It was a great spirit boost for us all!" said
Count Environmental Health Supervisor Mike Matthews. Susan Frost of Providence said the staff at
the hospital and clinics was also uplifted to see the messages.
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