ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Meals on Wheels is hoping the City of St. Pete will agree to provide $75,000 towards their budget so the organization can continue to deliver meals to seniors amid the rising cost of food and fuel.

For roughly five years, the City of St. Petersburg has provided some funding towards the Meals on Wheels program.

When the funding was first approved in 2017, the cost per meal was $3.

That cost has now tripled, making each meal roughly $9 to make and distribute.

Cheryl Holliday is the site coordinator at one of the Meals on Wheels locations in South St. Pete. She says many residents wouldn’t be able to eat if it wasn’t for the meal deliveries, and they spend their day waiting for the meals to arrive.

“They wait for the drivers to come, to bring them their food,” she said. “They need meals every day. Some of them just like a little visit when we come to see them.”

Holliday says the last year has taken a serious toll on seniors. Many no longer have the money to eat at restaurants or buy the items they used to.

The organization is in need of volunteers to help deliver the meals. Anyone interesting in donating their time is asked to contact Neighborly Care Network.

The St. Pete City Council set to vote on the funding during their regularly scheduled meeting Thursday.