CINCINNATI — For years, Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization, has provided hundreds of free rides to senior citizens in need. But that’s now at a standstill after several of their vehicles were recently vandalized.

What You Need To Know

  • On Wednesday, Meals on Wheels vans were vandalized

  • Catalytic converters were stolen from the cars

  • Meals on Wheels had to cancel most of his transportation services for nearly 80 senior citizens

  • It will cost the organization nearly $8,000 to get the cars fixed

Catalytic converters were stripped off of several meals on wheels vans. It’s left dozens of senior citizens without a ride to get to important appointments. 

“This is our only way of transportation and stuff,” said Marcia Driskell, a senior citizen. “How would you like if someone did your mother or your father, or grandmother or somebody like that? It’s terrible.”

Driskell is one of close to 80 senior citizens to rely on Meals on Wheels transportation service. She goes to the hospital three times a week for dialysis. 

“They take us to our doctor’s appointments,” she said. “They take us to the grocery store. They take us shopping. They take us out to the casino.”

Now with the catalytic converters gone, Meals on Wheels has had to cancel most of its appointments. That means senior citizens like Driskell were out of reliable transportation for a couple of days. 

“I have other means of transportation, too,” she said. “But I prefer to be with my friends on the bus.”

Getting those parts replaced isn’t cheap. It’s costing the organization $2,000 per vehicle that needs to be fixed. 

“That was $8,000 that we certainly weren’t expecting to have to spend in the midst of inflation crisis and everything else that we’re grappling with,” said Jennifer Steele, Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky CEO. 

Not only is it taxing financially, but it’s hurting the senior citizens who had to go without a much needed grocery trip. 

“It’s something that a lot of take for granted- that we can just get in our car and go wherever we want to go. But that’s not the case for these folks,” said Steele. “Because they really depend on us.”

A police report has been filed and Meals on Wheels is working with building security to review the footage. The vans are currently in the shop and are expected to be back up and running by Friday. And it’s something that Driskell says she’s looking forward to. 

“It’s a blessing,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know and it needs to be out there so people will know so that they can get the help.”

Cincinnati Police Department is asking that you report any tips to their hotline at 513-352-3040.