A new home for Meals on Wheels of NEPA will allow the organization to reach more people across the region.
The nonprofit announced an upcoming move to 305 Cherry St., Scranton, during a news conference Friday morning.
“This is a place where hope will be prepared daily in our kitchen, packed into warm meals and delivered with love to doorsteps across the six counties,” said Lindsey Skripka, executive director of Meals on Wheels.
Meals on Wheels of NEPA is committed to reducing hunger and isolation among both seniors and individuals with disabilities by delivering nutritious meals and human connection.
“We’ll be able to serve more than double the amount of meals by enabling a high efficiency location,” Skripka said.
Meeting increased demand
From its current kitchen at 541 Wyoming Ave. in the city, the organization distributes 1,500 meals daily. The new location with a commercial kitchen will increase that number to 4,000.
“Once we get started, we’re hoping to be able to really refine our operations and logistics to have more than 5,500 go out every day, and we’re able to then help neighboring counties, as well as extend throughout the region, especially rural regions that don’t have a home-delivered meal provider,” Skripka said.
Currently serving Luzerne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties, the organization is hoping to expand even further and include Schuylkill, Bradford and Susquehanna counties.
“Being able to help others with offering low cost meals, and in turn, really that serves more older adults across the entire region of NEPA,” she said.
With the current price of food, Skripka said that the company is getting more referrals each day for help.
“Older adults are very close to my heart. Always have been, and being able to help them. When you bring them a meal, it’s not just nourishment, oftentimes it’s the only food they’ll get, but also their only interaction.” Skripka said. “You’ll often be invited for a cup of coffee or something, because they don’t have anyone else.”
Help from NEPA developer
With the help of John Basalyga, president of JBAS Realty, Wheels on Wheels of NEPA was able to find their new home.
Basalyga bought the Wyoming Avenue building, where Meals on Wheels is currently located in 2024, and started looking for a new building for the group to expand.
“So I was looking around, and part of what I do is I’ll find people looking for space and buildings. I’ll find them, build them out, lease them and sell them. And I was lucky enough to be able to do that with these guys. Allowing me to do what I do best, so they can do what they do best,” Basalyga said.
The current home to Meals on Wheels will still be in use until the renovation is complete, which is slated to be March 2026.
Once the new location is in use, Basalyga discussed making the Wyoming Avenue building a multi-use space for businesses with residential apartments on top.
Prior to the relocation, the building on Cherry Street used to be home to a casket company, as well as a miniature golf course company.
After sitting vacant for 10 years, it now is poised for new life serving thousands of individuals every day.
Basalyga will be rewarded for his help with Meals on Wheels of NEPA with the annual founder’s award for philanthropy at the company’s signature fundraising event, “Mix and Mingle,” on Sept. 18.
