Most of her days used to be spent playing cards and socializing with friends in a place she called a second home. For the past 15 years, Mary Hall would gather at the senior center in Meeker from 9 until 2:30 seeing friends and playing a variety of games, but things are different now due to COVID-19.
Although the doors are shut and the halls are empty, meals are still being served.
Project H.E.A.R.T. is a senior nutrition program that serves meals for people who are 60 years old and older.
Since last week, the number of meals served has increased.
Project HEART serves Pottawatomie, Lincoln, Payne and Pawnee counties.
Throughout the four counties served, there has been an increase in the number of meals served through homebound meals and meals served through the drive through.
Last week 2,114 people came through the drive through at one of the many Project H.E.A.R.T. locations to pick up a meal, which was an increase of 137 meals.
For homebound meals, 1,369 meals were delivered to people, which was an increase of 421 meals.
In total, Project H.E.A.R.T. served 3,483 people last week alone.
Chris Hardin, director of Project H.E.A.R.T., has been working as the director for 22 years and said they have had to change the structure of this nonprofit organization.
“It has impacted us and the way we do business,” she said.
Hardin said in a normal situation they have a congregate setting where people come in and eat, but due to COVID-19, they have had to adapt their business set up andmal situation they have a congregate setting where people come in and eat, but due to COVID-19, they have had to adapt their business set up and now serve their meals through a drive through fashion at each of their locations.
“With COVID-19, we are not able to gather in one place, so we had to figure out something different,” she said.
Project H.E.A.R.T. has been serving meals since 1984. Hardin said throughout her time as director they have faced many ups and downs like funding cuts and other situations, but nothing this big.
“We’ve never had anything like this were we’ve have to completely change the way we’re operating,” she said.
Hardin said she is proud of her staff for continuing to work.
“They’ve hung in there and continued to serve,” she said. “We’re trying to do as much as we can.”
When it comes to serving the meals, Hardin said they have enacted additional precautions like not going into peoples homes and wearing masks.
“We still need to give them a meal,” she said.
Barbra Wyse has been eating meals from Project HEART since 2009 and said she misses the visiting and socialization.
“Most of us, a good part of us, are by ourselves,” she said. “That’s a good part of our day.”
Wyse said that she doesn’t keep many groceries at her house.
“Sometimes when your by yourself it’s no fun cooking for one person,” she said.
Wyse said without Project H.E.A.R.T. many people would be without food.
“The meals are still warm and still tasty when we get them,” she said. “I think everybody, for the most part, is doing okay. It’s forces us to get out and drive through.”
Hall said the drive through is fairly quick and thinks that the workers of Project H.E.A.R.T. are doing a fine job.
“I’ve been there so long I know everybody,” Hall said. “Sometimes I drive up beside someone and visit since we haven’t been able to get together any other way.”
Hall said she stays in her vehicle, but when she goes to pick up her meal she’ll holler back and forth to the vehicles close by.
“We play games at our center every day and that’s what a lot of us miss,” she said. “Getting together.”