Woolworths partners with Meals on Wheels to support elderly

Friday, 13 March 2020:

• Woolworths has begun working with Meals on Wheels in New South Wales via their network of volunteers to help deliver toilet paper directly to the elderly in the community.
• The support is intended to help vulnerable and elderly shoppers overcome some of the challenges they have been facing in securing essential items like toilet paper, due to recent unprecedented customer demand. 
• The first delivery of toilet paper was dropped off this morning at the Meals on Wheels Central Coast branch in Tuggerah with more deliveries across NSW to follow in the next week. 
• Meals on Wheels volunteers in the Tuggerah area will hand deliver a 4-pack of toilet paper along with their usual prepared meals to those they service in the community. 
• Woolworths intends to provide further support to other state based Meals on Wheels organisations with further deliveries of toilet roll to them over the coming weeks.

Meals on Wheels NSW CEO, Les MacDonald said: 

“We run special shopping assistance programs for the elderly at various Meals on Wheels branches around NSW and our volunteers have faced challenges in sourcing products such as toilet paper for those we support. 

“We would like to thank Woolworths for recognising that Meals on Wheels is an integral part of all communities and for lending a helping hand at this time to support the most vulnerable in our community.  

“We have an amazing network of local Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers who can make small, but important initiatives like these possible in challenging times - and we truly do deliver 'more than just a meal.”

Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director, Claire Peters said:

“We are pleased to begin working with Meals on Wheels in NSW to help provide for the eldery and vulnerable in the community. 

“Due to the unprecedented demand on certain products in our stores, we’ve heard that many elderly and vulnerable people in the community are missing out on items they may need when they shop.

“While we’ll continue to do our very best to continue restocking our stores, we encourage all Australians to be mindful of those in your community at this time who might need help and ensure that we continue to support each other.”

Woolworths measures to increase supply of toilet paper

Woolworths continues to work closely with its suppliers to get even more product into stores and onto the shelves for customers as quickly as possible. 

Additional orders of toilet paper continue to flow through Woolworths’ store network each day. 

Woolworths is working with suppliers to prioritise the production of smaller packs of toilet paper. This means more toilet paper packs will be available to more customers online and in stores from next week.

About Meals on Wheels NSW

There are 155 Meals on Wheels services around NSW located in metro, regional and remote areas which has a network of 35,000 volunteers delivering approximately 15,000 meals a day to the elderly or to people with a disability and their carers.