Coronavirus: Sheriff’s Office Partners With Meals On Wheels

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL — Meal delivery for senior citizens in Jefferson County will continue amid the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to a new partnership between the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Meals on Wheels.

Deputies within the Sheriff’s Office will deliver meals to seniors in the Forestdale and Bessemer area. In addition to the meal service, residents will have the opportunity to submit requests for additional needs to each deputy during the meal drop-offs.

“I want our citizens to know that our roles as deputies, go beyond just keeping you safe.” Sheriff Mark Pettway said. “I have challenged the men and women who serve within our office to come together and look for ways that we can do our part to help make this already tumultuous process less stressful; this partnership with Meals on Wheels is just one way that we will be doing that, and I’m eager to continue using our resources to help us move past this pandemic as a county, as a state, and as a country.”

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Meals on Wheels serves hundreds of senior citizens within Jefferson County, and while the nonprofit is continuing to deliver meals with the help of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the group is concerned about losing older volunteers and is calling on younger people to step up and help prepare the meals that need to be delivered.

“During a time such as this, we are forever grateful for county partners such as JCSO, but we also want the public to know that this must be a community effort,” Karla Lawrence, Senior Vice President of Community Initiatives said. “My hope is that as a community we can continue filling in the gap to ensure that our seniors don’t go without.”

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