Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver box fans during severe heat wave
DALLAS - In the midst of a brutal, triple-digit heat streak, volunteers are doing what they can to make sure North Texas’ most vulnerable residents are staying cool.
Box Fan Deliveries
What we know:
FOX 4 tagged along on Wednesday as the Visiting Nurses Association of North Texas made food deliveries through the Meals on Wheels program.
An estimated 4,000 volunteers are depended on to deliver about 7,000 meals per day.
On Wednesday, they also brought box fans to some of their clients. The VNA said a single box fan can make the difference between a safe home and a health emergency.
What they're saying:
The recipients that FOX 4 talked to were extremely grateful. One grandmother got extremely emotional when she received the fan. She said she desperately needs the circulating air in her bedroom.
"Awe, I don’t know what to say. Thank you, thank you!" Arbere Key exclaimed.
"I appreciate them so much because they’re always out here asking us how we’re doing. Is everything alright? I enjoy them and that makes me feel good," added recipient Alice Fuller.
The volunteers themselves are also dealing with the dangerous heat and have been taking steps to stay safe.
"If it’s hot outside, I can come right here and get ice cold water for the route," said Kyle Francis, a volunteer. "These were donated to us by a donor. We have these throughout the summer."
Francis explained that most volunteers will park in a neighborhood and walk to multiple homes along the route.
"So, you’re getting sweaty, getting hot yourself. So, it’s important to have water and keep yourself hydrated," he said.
What you can do:
To get involved with the Meals on Wheels program in the Dallas area, visit https://www.vnatexas.org/our-services/meals-on-wheels/.
The Source: FOX 4's Alex Boyer gathered information for this story by following along with the Meals on Wheels volunteers.