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“This is the only food they get”: Local news outlets detail food delivery programs for seniors like Meals on Wheels struggling due to surging prices brought on by the Iran war

CEO of a North Carolina Meals on Wheels provider: “If gas prices continue and we continue to lose volunteers, we will certainly have to scale back the program”

Written by Casey Wexler & Isabella Sherk

Published

Local news stations across the country are reporting that food delivery services for seniors in need are struggling amid high gas and food prices brought on by the Iran war. 

The Trump administration’s war with Iran is causing gas prices to skyrocket, with the national average price of a regular gallon of gas being $4.55 as of May 7. The increased cost of fuel is having far reaching consequences, including impacting the millions of American seniors who rely on food delivery nonprofits — Meals on Wheels alone delivers 244 million meals to 2.6 million seniors annually. 

One station reported that “volunteers who deliver the food are also paying more to help fight food insecurity.” Another interviewed a program director who said it makes them “sick” to see seniors on a waiting list because the organization can no longer afford to reach all those in need. A Chicago organization told a local station that it might “cut down the number of deliveries per week” to try to survive the rising prices. 

  • Local media stations across the country reported that food delivery services are struggling to feed seniors and others in need after gas prices spiked

    • Missouri's KFVS 12 reported that gas prices are threatening the survival of a meal delivery service for seniors in need. The program administrator told KFVS, “It’s really put a hurt on us, you know, trying to deliver those meals daily. We just can’t do that anymore.” [KFVS, 4/30/26]
    • Cincinnati's WLWT 5 emphasized that gas prices are now about $1-$1.50 a gallon higher than Meals on Wheels budgeted for, but the program won’t stop delivering food. A driver said, “I still got to buy gas. I still got to put gas in my van. … Multiple clients, … this is the only food they get.” [WLWT, 5/5/26]
    • CBS Chicago reporter Noel Brennan said a local meal-delivery program has “been shelling out about $130” to fill up each of its 18 delivery vans. Driver Jason Burke said, “Gas prices are definitely not helping.” Brennan noted, “If prices continue to soar, the nonprofit says it could cut down the number of deliveries per week, but it hasn’t come to that yet.” [CBS Chicago, 5/5/26]
    • An anchor for Arkansas’ K8 News said, “Not only gas prices are rising, but also food prices, which is currently impacting one of Arkansas's most vulnerable groups hard — our seniors.” K8 highlighted the East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, which said a meal that used to cost $5 to prepare a couple of years ago now costs about $9. The agency said it sometimes has to cut back daily visits to weekly ones where frozen meals are delivered. [K8 News, 5/5/26]
    • Charlotte’s CBS station WBTV quoted the CEO of a local Meals on Wheels provider saying that it may have to “scale back the program” if gas prices continue to be so high. CEO Tina Postal said, “If gas prices continue and we continue to lose volunteers, we will certainly have to scale back the program.” [WBTV, 5/1/26]
    • Kansas City station KCTV highlighted a struggling Meals on Wheels provider whose director said, “Our gas bill has increased at the same rate everyone else’s has at home, but we’re a struggling nonprofit.” One volunteer had even started delivering meals by bicycle in order to get food to seniors without getting hit with higher gas prices. [KCTV, 4/4/26]
    • Detroit’s ABC station WXYZ reported, “The spiking cost of gas comes as they're already dealing with high food costs and increasing demand for meals.” According to a Macomb County senior services official, “If the cost of gas goes up, if the cost of food rises, that all impacts our ability to serve.” [WXYZ, 4/27/26]
    • 12NewsNow in Southeast Texas reported that a local Meals on Wheels organization that previously never had a wait list now has “150 seniors and counting waiting for meals, all because of rising gas and food prices.” The director said, “Now people that are calling in new clients are having to take a number, in essence, to eat, and that makes me sick.” [12NewsNow, 4/27/26]
    • A local Michigan station interviewed a volunteer who is continuing to deliver meals even as gas prices are forcing him to “cut back” in his personal life. The volunteer said, “We don't go out to eat as much as we used to. Everybody has to cut back a little bit with all this stuff.” [Fox 47 News, 4/30/26]
    • A Michigan station reported that a Meals on Wheels provider in Saginaw County hopes “gas prices come down and more people become willing to drive and deliver meals” because it has a waiting list of seniors who need help. The program’s volunteer coordinator, Sheila McIntosh, said of volunteers, “We do pay the mileage, but still, even with that, they’re having a hard time with the gas prices going up.” [Mid-Michigan Now, 5/3/26]
    • North Carolina’s ABC11 News reported that Meals on Wheels Durham has  “around 500 seniors on a waiting list right now trying to receive food.” Reporter Elaina Athans said, “But we’re being told the need is growing in this economy. Volunteers who deliver the food are also paying more to help fight food insecurity.” [ABC11, 4/28/26]
    • Buffalo NBC station WGRZ interviewed people associated with meal delivery organization Feed More, whose volunteers are spending more to deliver meals for free. A volunteer driver said, “I'm always going to do it for the people as long as it's sort of doable, and it is. And we're hoping it's going to go down.” [WGRZ, 5/1/26]
    • An Atlanta station reported that Open Hand, a “nonprofit that delivers medically tailored meals,” has had its fuel costs rise by 44% since December, bringing their monthly fuel expenses to $10,000. That doesn’t include “volunteers who use their own vehicles and pay for their own gas to help deliver meals five days a week,” said reporter Adam Murphy. [Atlanta News First, 5/4/26]
    • Virginia channel WTKR reported that high gas prices mean that nonprofit Buffalow Family and Friends is left with “less money for food and fewer donations.” Michelle Buffalow, the nonprofit’s executive director, said, “Just looking at last month alone compared to last year is doubled in our gas prices, which is taken away from the pantry.” [WTKR News 3, 5/5/26]