'Desperation': Food bank CEO says some Meals on Wheels recipients haven't eaten 'in weeks'

For thousands of homebound seniors in the Los Angeles area unable to cook for themselves, Thanksgiving dinner will be delivered by St. Vincent Meals on Wheels. And for many of those people, this will be the first meal they've had in days — or even weeks.

That's according to St. Vincent Meals on Wheels CEO Veronica Dover, who told MS NOW on Thursday that she's seen more need from the people her organization serves in recent months than ever before. Dover told MS NOW reporter Jillian Frankel that while she expected demand would be higher on Thanksgiving Day, she wasn't expecting to see so much "desperation" from Meals on Wheels recipients.

"Some of these folks that are being referred to us haven't eaten in days, some of them in weeks. And so it's really sad to see the state of malnourishment that is really coming," she said. "So they're very, very desperate when they come to us and we're doing everything we possibly can to take on as many of these people as, as we possibly can."

St. Vincent Meals on Wheels volunteers were seen during the segment preparing more than 2,000 meals to be delivered across Los Angeles County. The organization will be delivering an estimated 300 pounds of roasted turkey, 200 pounds of freshly mashed potatoes and 100 gallons of gravy, along with various side dishes. Dover reminded MS NOW viewers that while lines at food banks have been particularly long this year given the sluggish economy and rising prices, the people who rely on Meals on Wheels aren't even physically able to stand in those lines.

"Most of the people that we serve are homebound. They're unable to get out and shop and cook for themselves. And where before they might have had food dropped off by people, that's not happening as often," she said. "We're getting referrals through the Department of Mental Health, through social services and other places of people who maybe get a bag of food dropped off every other week and the opposite week they weren't eating before they came to us. And so it's really sad situation, the desperation that we're seeing."

Frankel reported that St. Vincent Meals on Wheels workers were "stretching their resources here as far as possible," in order to provide a homemade Thanksgiving meal to needy homebound Angelenos, many of whom are seniors.

"Today's meals included turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and all of the fixings. Everything that these folks need to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal right from home this year," Frankel said.

Click here to visit St. Vincent Meals on Wheels' website, and watch the segment below.

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