Thames Valley Council for Community Action said Monday night it has temporarily stopped delivering meals to 1,000 seniors across the region until Oct. 13, after its Bozrah warehouse staff were exposed to a person who had tested positive for COVID-19.

TVCCA Executive Director Deborah Monahan said Monday night that TVCCA made the decision to temporarily shut down its Meals on Wheels program for the safety of its staff. TVCCA is following Uncas Health District's advice that warehouse staff members quarantine for 14 days, and TVCCA has shut down its commissary in Bozrah.

She said TVCCA has been in touch with all Meals on Wheels clients, who increased from 500 to 1,000 people during the pandemic, and nobody is going to go hungry.

"We are working with the first selectmen and the mayors in the towns, as well as the senior center directors and human services staff to make sure nobody goes without a meal," said Monahan.

"Nobody should feel that they're not going to be served," she added.

She pointed out that Meals on Wheels provided two weeks of emergency meals at the beginning of the pandemic but staff has reached out to people served under the program to ensure they have enough food.

The program serves people in 39 towns across New London County, Windham County and the northeast part of the state.

The program delivers meals to homebound elderly people on weekdays. Frozen meals are also delivered for weekend home use. Monahan said Meals on Wheels has been feeding people throughout the pandemic.

"Our Senior Center staff and our human services director will be coordinating closely with TVCCA to ensure that our residents who depend on the Meals on Wheels program are not negatively impacted by the two-week hiatus," said New London Mayor Michael Passero, who spoke to Monahan on Monday night.

k.drelich@theday.com