Nonprofits work to provide meals for Minnesotans ahead of snow storm
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's a full day of driving for Open Arms Minnesota volunteer Rob Kennedy. He donates his time to deliver meals to critically ill Minnesotans and their families in Hopkins and Minnetonka.
"These meals are just so important," Kennedy said. "Based on the weather that's coming this afternoon, we're not doing deliveries tomorrow. So, we are jamming it in today."
With a potentially historic storm on the way, the nonprofit canceled its delivery services Wednesday through Friday.
"It's very busy," Open Arms Minnesota CEO Leah Hébert Welles said. "Probably our busiest day ever. The most deliveries in one day."
To make up for lost time, Open Arms Minnesota delivered 7,000 meals Tuesday, which is double a typical day. Volunteers will do it again over the weekend and deliver Thursday and Friday meals on Saturday.
It's not the only organization thinking ahead of the storm.
"You never know when it's going to become, but there's always a day or two in the winter when we halt deliveries," Metro Meals on Wheels Executive Director Patrick Rowan said.
Meals on Wheels also doubled up in anticipation of the weather. It also added frozen meals to the mix. Meals on Wheels hasn't officially made the call to cancel deliveries but believe that might happen soon.
Both organizations scrambling to ensure Minnesotans get the help they need while keeping safety top of mind.
"I think to myself, I can run to the store and grab stuff. For these folks it's not as easy. I would do whatever it took to get these meals to folks," Kennedy said.