Gas prices hurting meal delivery program, other charities
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Meals on Wheels volunteer Jim Nelson of South Sioux City gets into his vehicle after picking up his deliveries in Sioux City Tuesday, July 15, 2008 (Sioux City Journal photo by Tim Hynds
SIOUX CITY -- Meals on Wheels clients on the edges of Sioux City might soon be heating up a frozen dinner in their microwaves once a week.
A frozen meal program is an option nutrition director Lynn Haugen said the organization is considering to cut down on mileage and save money.
"We'd really like to keep that hot meal going if we can," she said. "A lot of these people are handicapped enough, either through poor eyesight or physical incapacities that they are not able to even reheat these meals."
Like so many other charities across the country, Sioux City Meals on Wheels is feeling the pinch of high fuel costs and rising food prices.
The cost of transporting goods to Meals on Wheels has increased for vendors, and they in turn have upped the price of food and paper products. Haugen said it is the greatest increase she has seen in the 35 years she has been in the business.
"Where we would normally have a 3 to 5 percent increase in food costs, we've been hit with anywhere from 15 to 30 percent," she said.
High gas prices are also affecting the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross' budget.
The organization covers 13 counties in Northwest Iowa, providing aid to victims of house fires and natural disasters. It also holds CPR and health and safety classes in those counties.
"We're constantly going back and forth, making sure that those people have availability of classes up in Lyon County all the way to Monona County," said Beth Trejo, public relations/events coordinator.
Ninety percent of the Siouxland Red Cross is volunteer-based, but Trejo said the organization hasn't lost volunteers because of high gas prices and isn't cutting back its services.
"I think volunteers are making a greater attempt to maybe not come to the chapter as much," she said. "They might go places directly from their homes or wherever they're volunteering at."
Although Cathy Krommenhoek, of Le Mars, said she is able to accomplish much of her volunteer work for the Siouxland Red Cross Tour of Homes by phone and e-mail, when she does have to drive to the chapter, she said she structures her day to cut back on mileage, making any necessary stops on her way to Sioux City.
"Don't stop volunteering, because we're not going to be in this crunch forever," she said.
The IRS hasn't increased the amount of money per mile that volunteers can deduct from their income tax forms in the past 10 years. The rate remains at 14 cents a mile.
Volunteer Breezy Struthers Drake, of Sioux City, who serves as co-chairwoman for the Tour of Homes, said the important roll volunteers play in the community needs to be taken into account by the government.
"Basically the community survives on volunteers work," she said. "For that not to have been raised in such a long period of time, something just needs to be done about it."
Haugen said some volunteers have scaled back the number of days they deliver meals a week, leaving Meals on Wheels short volunteers.
Currently around 100 volunteers deliver 235 meals daily in Sioux City Monday through Friday. A number of those volunteers are new retirees, according to Haugen. While retirees are a "wonderful resource," Haugen said they can't always afford to do it. Volunteers facing financial hardship, she said, are paid a mileage rate to help offset high fuel costs.
Struthers Drake said she doesn't think gas prices would ever prevent her from volunteering for the Siouxland Red Cross in Sioux City, but she said it would affect her if she had to travel to other areas.
"Everybody's on a budget," she said.
Jerry Eaton, executive director of Catholic Charities in Sioux City, said increasing food, medical and fuel costs are putting stress on a lot of people. In the past 20 years, Eaton said government has pulled away from helping people and tried to make them more responsible for themselves -- creating a greater need for the counseling and therapy services his charity provides.
"There's more of an expectation on the nonprofit sector to meet people's needs," he said. "It's been going on for quite a long time for us as far trying to come up with the resources to meet the needs."
Eaton said after Hurricane Katrina and the recent flooding in Iowa, people were more than willing to help those affected.
"What a lot of people don't understand is that in our society there are people facing times like that every day," he said.
A frozen meal program is an option nutrition director Lynn Haugen said the organization is considering to cut down on mileage and save money.
"We'd really like to keep that hot meal going if we can," she said. "A lot of these people are handicapped enough, either through poor eyesight or physical incapacities that they are not able to even reheat these meals."
Like so many other charities across the country, Sioux City Meals on Wheels is feeling the pinch of high fuel costs and rising food prices.
The cost of transporting goods to Meals on Wheels has increased for vendors, and they in turn have upped the price of food and paper products. Haugen said it is the greatest increase she has seen in the 35 years she has been in the business.
"Where we would normally have a 3 to 5 percent increase in food costs, we've been hit with anywhere from 15 to 30 percent," she said.
High gas prices are also affecting the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross' budget.
The organization covers 13 counties in Northwest Iowa, providing aid to victims of house fires and natural disasters. It also holds CPR and health and safety classes in those counties.
"We're constantly going back and forth, making sure that those people have availability of classes up in Lyon County all the way to Monona County," said Beth Trejo, public relations/events coordinator.
Ninety percent of the Siouxland Red Cross is volunteer-based, but Trejo said the organization hasn't lost volunteers because of high gas prices and isn't cutting back its services.
"I think volunteers are making a greater attempt to maybe not come to the chapter as much," she said. "They might go places directly from their homes or wherever they're volunteering at."
Although Cathy Krommenhoek, of Le Mars, said she is able to accomplish much of her volunteer work for the Siouxland Red Cross Tour of Homes by phone and e-mail, when she does have to drive to the chapter, she said she structures her day to cut back on mileage, making any necessary stops on her way to Sioux City.
"Don't stop volunteering, because we're not going to be in this crunch forever," she said.
The IRS hasn't increased the amount of money per mile that volunteers can deduct from their income tax forms in the past 10 years. The rate remains at 14 cents a mile.
Volunteer Breezy Struthers Drake, of Sioux City, who serves as co-chairwoman for the Tour of Homes, said the important roll volunteers play in the community needs to be taken into account by the government.
"Basically the community survives on volunteers work," she said. "For that not to have been raised in such a long period of time, something just needs to be done about it."
Haugen said some volunteers have scaled back the number of days they deliver meals a week, leaving Meals on Wheels short volunteers.
Currently around 100 volunteers deliver 235 meals daily in Sioux City Monday through Friday. A number of those volunteers are new retirees, according to Haugen. While retirees are a "wonderful resource," Haugen said they can't always afford to do it. Volunteers facing financial hardship, she said, are paid a mileage rate to help offset high fuel costs.
Struthers Drake said she doesn't think gas prices would ever prevent her from volunteering for the Siouxland Red Cross in Sioux City, but she said it would affect her if she had to travel to other areas.
"Everybody's on a budget," she said.
Jerry Eaton, executive director of Catholic Charities in Sioux City, said increasing food, medical and fuel costs are putting stress on a lot of people. In the past 20 years, Eaton said government has pulled away from helping people and tried to make them more responsible for themselves -- creating a greater need for the counseling and therapy services his charity provides.
"There's more of an expectation on the nonprofit sector to meet people's needs," he said. "It's been going on for quite a long time for us as far trying to come up with the resources to meet the needs."
Eaton said after Hurricane Katrina and the recent flooding in Iowa, people were more than willing to help those affected.
"What a lot of people don't understand is that in our society there are people facing times like that every day," he said.
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Gregory J Dressel wrote on Jul 23, 2008 3:56 PM:
Here's what you can do to lower gas prices. Inform everyone to go to "American Solutions.Com" and sign the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" petition by Newt Gingrich. Tell Congress to open up all areas for oil exploration. It's interesting to note that as soon as President Bush rescinded the Presidential ban on off shore drilling the price of oil went from $145 to $126. Congress needs to do the same. If they don't, oil prices will again begin to rise. As a newspaper committed to disseminating information, you have the power to reach out to millions of Americans and let them know about this petition. 72% of Americans support opening up all areas for oil exploration. When they are made aware of this petition, they will sign it. 1.3 million Americans have already done so. We need millions more. Let the People decide. Rise above any party affiliations and do this for your Country.
Thankyou
Gregory J. Dressel "