OBSERVER Photo by Mary Heyl. Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels Executive Director Deb Pacos (pictured left) and Connie Piccolo, office manager, have been busy unpacking boxes and settling into their new temporary space inside the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator.

Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels has been serving northern Chautauqua County for almost 40 years, and despite yet another disruption to their office location, that hard work continues, uninterrupted.

Some time during the early morning hours of Feb. 1, frigid temperatures caused sprinkler system pipes to burst inside Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels’ office location in the former Carriage House plant on Newton Street in Fredonia.

“Originally our landlord offered us another area within the Newton Street building, where we could stay until our office area was cleaned,” Executive Director Deb Pacos told the OBSERVER. “At that point, we were under the impression that we would only be displaced for two to three weeks. When we learned that the entire office was a loss — carpeting, walls, plasterboard, paneling — we realized we had to move to another location.”

Fortunately, food preparation was unaffected by the water damage, as all meals are prepared (and continue to be prepared) at Brooks Memorial Hospital. Delivery throughout northern Chautauqua County has continued without interruption, even on Feb. 1 when the water damage was discovered and on Feb. 6, when office operations moved to the SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator at 214 Central Avenue in Dunkirk.

Pacos, who has served as executive director since 2015, is grateful that the Incubator had a furnished room that they could use, as nearly all of their furnishings were destroyed. “Our entire staff is there,” Pacos explained. “We are currently forwarding calls to our office number to a smartphone until we can get phone service here.”

As a result of the water damage in their original office, Meals on Wheels lost nearly all of their equipment. Desktop computers and related equipment, laptops, the phone system, all upholstered furniture, refrigerators and a freezer were all destroyed, with the exception of certain items that can be cleaned by ServiceMaster.

“The Incubator staff have been wonderful to work with — very helpful,” said Pacos. “We are grateful for their hospitality. We do not plan on staying there. I feel bad just thinking about taking up room that another fledgling business might be able to use.” Pacos said that currently, the Incubator is full.

She explained that the organization is planning to return to its Newton Street location when it is ready to be occupied again.

Staff at Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels can still be reached at (716)366-8822 and all mail can be sent to Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels at 196 Newton St., Suite 5, Fredonia, NY 14063. Currently, Meals on Wheels does not have a fax line. Pacos emphasized that not only is the organization continuing to serve current clients, but they are happy to accept applications for new clients, too.

Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels serves approximately 170 clients and covers all of northern Chautauqua County including Arkwright, Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, Hanover, Irving, Portland, Sheridan and Villenova. The organization has approximately 65 volunteers and four paid drivers who are dedicated to serving meals to community members in need. In addition to serving healthy, nutritionally balanced meals to those in need, Meals on Wheels provides daily wellness and safety checks and, importantly, social interaction with volunteers.

“We accept donations year ’round, but they are especially appreciated as we work to recover from this unexpected disaster,” said Pacos. Tax-deductible donations can be made to the non-profit organization on their website, dfmealsonwheels.org or mailed to Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels at 196 Newton St., Suite 5, Fredonia, NY 14063.