Meals On Wheels Central Texas Implements Protocol Modifications

AUSTIN, TX —Meals on Wheels Central Texas (MOWCTX) has issued a communication regarding changes to its meals delivery service for the homebound including elderly and disabled persons living in and around the Austin area. Following the announcement from Austin Public Health regarding confirmed cases of new coronavirus, or COVID-19, within the community, MOWCTX will exercise a protocol consistent with social distancing to protect those most vulnerable to acquiring the disease.

Effective immediately and until further notice, volunteers delivering meals will:

1. Place the meal and cold bag someplace very near the client’s front door.
2. Ring the doorbell/knock on the door and announce that they are from Meals on Wheels.
3. Step at least 6-feet away (as per Centers for Disease Control recommendations) from the door and wait for the client to get the meal and cold bag.
4. If the client does not answer the door, the volunteer will contact us and we’ll have a customer service representative call the client.
5. If Customer Service is unable to reach the client, the volunteer will take the meal and cold bag with them to give away to another client on their delivery route.
6. Under no circumstances will meals or cold bags be allowed to remain on the porch.

While meal delivery protocols are experiencing a temporary change, clients will still count on delivery of hot, nutritious meals, as well as safety checks for homebound clients. While volunteers play a critical role to the mission of MOWCTX, volunteers who are ill will be required to stay home, and substitute volunteers will deliver nutritious meals.

Clients are also being told about the importance of contacting their health care provider should they develop a fever or respiratory issues. In furthering preparedness and its response to a scenario that would involve a region-wide quarantine, MOWCTX will be able to provide clients with shelf-stable meals to eat should services be temporarily suspended.

MOWCTX will keep the community updated should any additional changes occur. As a reminder, MOWCTX stresses the importance of staying informed, remaining calm, and practicing proper hygiene and recommended social distancing to ensure everyone remain healthy.

While volunteer training has been suspended through the end of March, MOWCTX will continue to accept donations to continue providing life-sustaining services to those most vulnerable within the community. To donate please visit the MOWCTX website or click on their donation page HERE.