Ellwood City Meals on Wheels Speeding Ahead

Juicy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn: Can you smell what Ellwood City Area Meals on Wheels has cooking?

Monday’s April 1 reopening of the beloved program was also its 45th anniversary.

With a new dedicated headquarters and cook, Terri Crespo, Meals on Wheels board member, said the program is completely back in business and ready to serve those in need.

Monday’s inaugural delivery came after about a month’s delay in service.

“We’ve gotten so many compliments about how good the food was and how glad residents were that we are back in business,” Crespo said. “Everything went wonderful, and better than I had expected.”

Crespo has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer for more than 20 years. She is joined on a board with Gina McKenna, Sharon McClintick, Grace Fornataro, and Helen Bowers. The five women run the program which operates thanks to the more than 80 volunteers.

“Volunteers are welcome,” she said. “We can always use more.”

Crespo said she is pleased to announce that all the volunteers who worked diligently for Meals on Wheels before the month-long break returned to resume service.

Meals on Wheels operates Monday-Friday weekly. Recipients receive a hot meal and a cold bagged lunch—yesterday’s bag lunch included a chicken sandwich, macaroni salad, fruit, and angel food cake.

Food is prepared daily by Mary Jo Carusone at the Calvin Presbyterian Church which serves as the new headquarters.

Crespo said her board and team are grateful to Calvin Presbyterian and the Rev. Sean Brubaker at the church for opening their doors and hearts to the program. Crespo said that the former headquarters the Ellwood City Medical Center was a great place to be for the time the program operated out of its walls.

Before Calvin Presbyterian Church was chosen as the new headquarters, consideration was given to the Sons of Italy as well as Riverside Area School District. Crespo said although grateful for the consider of open doors, facility space and other regulations prevented the program from setting up shop in either place.

Meals on Wheels serves those in need who are unable to prepare their own meals. For more information or to sign up for the program, contact McClintick 412-779-2447 or Crespo 724-496-8680 or 724-752-9413.

Ellwood City Meals on Wheels board members and volunteers cut the ribbon to commemorate a new beginning of the program. Left to right: Calvin Presbyterian Rev. Sean Brubaker, Terri Crespo, Sharon McClintick, Gina McKenna, Grace Fornataro, Mary Jo Carusone (cook), Kate Thompson (founding member). Missing from the photo was founding member Helen Bowers.