BOONE COUNTY, WV – Gov. Jim Justice today presented a fleet of new hot & cold food trucks that will allow more seniors across West Virginia to receive fresh meals in their homes through the State’s senior nutrition meal delivery programs: Meals on Wheels and Home-Delivered Meals.
“This is a great day for all of our seniors,” Gov. Justice said. “These are the people really and truly that have given so much to West Virginia. In every way possible, we need to step up to the plate and try to help them where we can.”
The Governor debuted the food trucks during an unveiling event at Stephens Auto Center in Boone County near Danville.
A total of 16 new Ford F-150 trucks, which utilize hot and cold food storage systems, will be used by county aging programs across the state to bolster senior nutrition efforts and replace aging vehicles currently in use.
“If you go back to my State of the State address earlier this year, one of the things that I said we needed to do, as West Virginians who love their neighbors, was to set aside enough dollars to be able to help our seniors,” Gov. Justice said. “Of all times that we need to be trying to take care of our seniors, now is the time.
“With this COVID situation that is attacking our elderly people – what if you’re home and you’re lonely and you’re hungry? A warm meal being delivered to your home is so, so important,” Gov. Justice continued. “If that doesn’t come, what are you going to do? You may very well take a chance and put yourself at risk.”
The State provided $477,500 for the vehicles unveiled during today’s event. County providers contributed matching funds, totaling $284,564.
Gov. Justice was joined by West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services Commissioner Robert Roswall for today’s announcement.
“I want to thank you very much, Governor, for this investment in the West Virginia senior nutrition meal delivery programs,” Commissioner Roswall said. “The Governor’s 2021 budget allocated $1 million for the purchase of food delivery vehicles to help us serve the seniors of West Virginia and will help us keep our seniors safe in their homes and allow them to age well in West Virginia.”
The new fleet of food trucks debuted today will be used in Berkeley, Boone, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Lewis, Marion, Mercer, Pocahontas, Roane, Tyler, and Wirt counties. However, Gov. Justice added that another round of vehicle additions will be announced in the coming weeks in support of senior nutrition programs all across West Virginia.
“This is just the beginning,” Gov. Justice said. “We’re going to be providing even more vehicles in the next few weeks and that will increase our abilities to help our seniors even more.”
