Senior meals stay with delivery

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jul 02, 20200

COLFAX/PALOUSE – A plan to resume senior meals in person July 6 in Colfax and Palouse has been held back, with the county needing to be in Phase IV before the change would be allowed.

Instead, delivery of the weekly or twice-weekly meals will continue around the county.

The service, since March, has increased. Council on Aging and Human Services meals have gone from 1,100 per month to 2,500, using drivers from COAST Transportation and other volunteers.

The Council expanded their delivery area to Colton, Uniontown, St. John, Farmington and Garfield.

“We've had more support coming in than we can keep track of,” said Paige Collins, executive director. “Volunteers and supplies, food and funding to pay salaries, from grants and private donations.”

Collins spoke at the Mayor's Virtual Roundtable June 18.

The Colfax-based, independent Council also runs COAST Transportation.

Collins noted that when the virus shutdowns came in March, Coast lost 95 percent of its rides.

Now that some restrictions have been lifted, “All of our drivers are busy. We need volunteers in Moscow and Pullman,” said Collins. “We have six volunteer drivers in Rosalia. Such a great town.”