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Rising gas prices add to increased expenses for nonprofits

Meals on Wheels of Greater Pittston is being hit particularly hard by inflation.

PITTSTON, Pa. — Anthony Grieco and Fran Ankenbrand are finished with their deliveries for the day for Meals on Wheels of Greater Pittston. Making the deliveries is something these two have done collectively for decades.

"I did it part-time starting in 1985 with the Rotary of Greater Pittston, and when I retired in '98, I started full-time, so it's been 24 years," explained Grieco.

The organization serves more than 60 people in the Pittston area. It's a service volunteers take seriously.

"Volunteerism means everything. So you know the more we can put out to help people, the better off we feel," added Ankenbrand.

That means spending a little more money to fill up their gas tanks to make meal deliveries, which volunteers say doesn't really make a difference to them.

"To me, that's a minor part of it. I hate to say it. I know gas is up, and the route is probably eight to ten miles total, but you're out here. The additional amount, it really doesn't affect your thought of giving or helping," said Grieco. "You're helping somebody out that they're deprived of their food and actually seeing a face too because some of them just live alone, and you're you might be the only one they see that day."

These men say the real issues facing Meals on Wheels right now are the increasing prices of fruit, meat, plastic containers, Ziplock bags, and the cost of utilities.

"Our electric bills are out of this world now," said Grieco.

That's important when you're running all those refrigerators and freezers.

Meals on Wheels tells Newswatch 16 its clients pay $5 a day for a lunch, dinner, dessert, fruit, and a snack. It says it will not raise that price for its clients and will absorb all these extra costs as long as possible.

To learn more about how you can help Meals on Wheels, you can visit its website by clicking here.

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