Cherianne Wold, Cattaraugus County Department of the Aging director, has announced distribution dates for emergency meal boxes.
The Department of the Aging will be giving away food boxes containing single-serve, shelf-stable meals to people over the age of 60. The food box contains enough food for five complete meals. Each meal meets one-third of the recommended dietary allowances for an adult.
The emergency food boxes are available to help people prepare for a possible emergency such as a winter storm and/or the H1N1 flu pandemic. Ms. Wold suggests senior citizens start planning now in the event they are unable to leave their home in case of an emergency.
To receive a shelf-stable emergency meal box, the person must be over 60 years of age and must come prepared to fill out a registration form. The boxes will be available on first come, first served basis. The purchase of the meal boxes was funded through the federal government as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The distribution dates and locations are as follows:
Dept. of the Aging office, 1 Leo Moss Drive, Olean, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 16;
Salamanca Nutrition Site, 99 Washington St., Salamanca, from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 17;
Portville Nutrition Site, 3 Temple St., Portville, from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 18;
Cattaraugus Nutrition Site, South Street, Cattaraugus, from 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 20;
Ellicottville Cooperative Extension, 28 Parkside Drive, Ellicottville, from 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 20;
Delevan Nutrition Site, 78 South Main St., Delevan, from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 23;
Gowanda Free Methodist Church, 149 W. Main St., Gowanda, from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 24;
Little Valley Municipal Bldg., Rock City Street, Little Valley, from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 25;
Franklinville Nutrition Site, Franklinville Presbyterian Church, from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 30;
Randolph Municipal Building, 72 Main Street, Randolph, from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 1;
South Dayton Nutrition Site, Free Methodist Church, South Dayton, from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 2;
West Valley Nutrition Site, St. Paul's Methodist Church, from 10 to 11 a.m. Dec. 3.
For more information on the meal box distribution, contact the Cattaraugus County Department of the Aging at 373-8032 or 800-462-2901.