LOWVILLE, N.Y. (WWNY) – The Lewis County Office for the Aging is helping twice as many people as it did a few years ago and needs more money from the county to keep going.

In 2021, the office served 12,180 meals from January to June.

During the same period in 2024, 22,189 meals were served, more than double.

The authorities assume that the cause is food prices.

“I think as prices go up, it becomes harder and harder for people to afford food. So we actually have some level of food insecurity. There are people who can no longer go grocery shopping or prepare their own meals. Our program really meets those needs,” said Carla Hellinger, director of the Lewis County Office for the Aging.

Lewis County OFA is the only one that does not have a waiting list for the program.

That means the office delivers meals to 225 people weekly – 5 meals per person. They deliver about 1,125 meals a week and that’s just the in-person deliveries. They also partner with 6 community meal sites across the county.

The more people who participate in this program, the higher the price OFA has to pay. The total cost of serving the region is currently around $1.24 million.

Hellinger said the county contributes about $620,000 toward the meals, and she had to go to lawmakers last year and again this year to request an increase in funding.

“We obviously want to be compassionate, we want to be fiscally responsible and we know that people in the county are hurting and struggling. So we don’t want to keep asking for money, but we believe it’s important to continue to support the needs of our people,” she said.

Even as more people need to be fed, OFA is proud to continue serving Lewis County’s aging population.

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