Skyrocketing gas prices are putting a program that feeds hundreds of seniors and homebound in Aiken County in jeopardy. Aiken's Meals on Wheels is losing volunteers because they can't afford to keep filling up their tanks to deliver the food.

Judy Parker Keit is the program director for Aiken’s Meals on Wheels. She says while food for the program is fully funded; they solely depend on the help of volunteers to get meals to those in need throughout the county.

Volunteers pack up hundreds of hot meals and newspapers for Aiken County's seniors and homebound every day, but volunteer Elsie Smith says high gas prices have forced her to cut back.

Instead of helping three days a week, she's down to one.

“I am retired and I am on a fixed income. If gas goes up to $5 a gallon I just don't know what I am going to do,” Smith said.

We went along with volunteer Ted Stanford to deliver some of those meals. He spends up to $50 a week on gas. Stanford usually drops off food for ten homes. He says the trip is more than just passing out food.

“These people out here now are almost like family. You can't deliver meals or things like that without getting close to them,” he said.

Helen Wilson says she looks forward to Stanford and volunteers like him are the only people she gets to see each day.

“He means a lot to us. You know he just lifts us up,” she says.

Keit says they've lost about of 50 of their 200 volunteers. She fears more will have to stop if gas prices keep going up.

“The thing that gets me is that it breaks their heart to come and say I can't do this. You have to have faith that this is God's will to feed his children and that everything is going to work out,” she said.

“I really don't see myself stopping long as I am able to do it,” said Stanford.

Keit says they are in need of volunteers who can help deliver meals on a weekly or daily basis. She says volunteers 55 and older can apply for a quarterly stipend to be reimbursed for money they spend on gas.