Charities and volunteers feel fuel, economy’s pinch

For 23 years, Richard and Maureen Voltz have faithfully delivered meals to local homebound elderly and disabled residents.

But with the hike in gas prices, the retired couple has had to reconsider their budget in order to continue their volunteer work with the Virginia Beach Meals on Wheels program.

"Right now, we've cut back on some things," Richard Voltz said, "but this is important to us. If people don't get their food, they don't eat. We do less running around elsewhere, less eating in restaurants."

With gas prices nearing $4 a gallon earlier this spring and prices not improving much since, Meals on Wheels volunteers across Hampton Roads are feeling the pinch. Charities are also facing an aging volunteer base, declining donations, higher food prices and increasing demand.

To ease the burden on volunteers, some program organizers are cutting by half - or more - the number of stops on meal routes.

Tracie Miner, executive director of Virginia Beach Meals on Wheels, said routes used to have up to 16 stops, but she recently trimmed them to about eight.

A few weeks ago she tweaked the routes again for a volunteer who asked for even fewer stops. If it wasn't condensed, Miner said, the volunteer would have been unable to continue as a driver.

"That is where we altered our program," Miner said. "But honestly, on my end, what else can I do? I just have to have faith that gas prices are not going to rise."

Cindy Creede, director of transit and wellness for Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia, is experiencing similar frustrations. Senior Services is also a nonprofit that delivers meals to seniors and the disabled throughout South Hampton Roads as part of its Home Delivered Meals program.

Creede said the price of gasoline translates to a 30 percent decrease in what Senior Services can provide next year. Already, she said, it is projecting a reduction of about 30,000 meals.

"The gas prices have increased the prices of food, so it's a two-pronged impact," Creede said, adding that the program relies on paid personnel to deliver the meals. Because of the recent hikes in food and gas costs, they have decided to start a volunteer program.

"Between food costs and gas costs, we're looking for people to help us," Creede said.

Although Miner has lost only one volunteer due to escalating gas costs, she said Virginia Beach has about 352 volunteers - down from 500 in 2009.

"So our drop in volunteers is dramatic," she said, adding that the average age of her volunteers is 65. "Our volunteers are aging, and it's hard to get younger ones because they're in the workplace."

In an effort to maintain her volunteer ranks, Tonya Chandler, coordinator for Meals on Wheels Portsmouth, has also made changes to her program.

About a year ago, when Chandler noticed gas prices rising, she asked volunteers to start bringing their own coolers to deliver meals, to eliminate a return trip to the Meals on Wheels facility. Some of Chandler's 250 volunteers recently decreased the number of times they volunteer each month.

"I just don't have enough volunteers," she said. "I pick up the slack. Whatever is left over, I pick up the remaining route."

The reduction in volunteer drivers also comes at a time when the Portsmouth nonprofit is also seeing a decrease in funding from donors like United Way of South Hampton Roads. Although volunteers and funding have recently decreased for Meals on Wheels Portsmouth, Chandler said they have seen a 25 percent increase in the number of clients seeking the program's services.

"And in the summer months, we tend to see an additional increase," Chandler added. "I hope I have the volunteers to deliver the meals so they can get them in a timely manner."

Lois Jack, coordinator for Meals on Wheels of Chesapeake, said she has had only one couple who has had to give up volunteering because of the gas price hikes. But, Jack added, she's not sure how long her luck will hold. Her drivers are also mostly retired seniors living on

fixed incomes.

"They are volunteers and putting out their own money," Jack said. "Prices going up always affects everyone. If it continues to get higher and higher, it could become a problem."

Voltz said he and his wife are committed to delivering meals to Haygood residents several times a month, but if gas prices continue to rise as they did earlier this spring, they might reconsider.

"Most of us who volunteer are on fixed incomes," he said. "We only have X amount of dollars to play with."

Rita Frankenberry, 222-5102, rita.frankenberry@pilotonline.com