Meals on Wheels has been delivering
food to homebound older adults across America since the 1950s. In our country,
where 9.5 million older adults are threatened by hunger, one in four lives
alone and one in five feels lonely, Meals on Wheels volunteers are a lifeline
to these people. Aging Today spoke with three Meals on Wheels delivery
volunteers in October 2019, to discover why they choose to spend their spare
time delivering meals. For two of them, it’s a lifetime call to service, for
the other, it’s a chance to help people who have no one else.
Nina Byrd: Lifelong Philanthropy
Nina Byrd, 30, is a strategic consultant based
out of Portland, Ore., who comes from a philanthropic family that taught her
the importance of engaging in one’s community. She has been volunteering since
she was 19 years old.
A self-described workaholic, Byrd says her
hour and a half twice a month when she delivers for Meals on Wheels America is
sacred—her work clients know she’s unavailable for meetings during lunchtime on
her volunteer days.
Why she does it: “Everywhere I go, I encourage people to
support Meals on Wheels, because life is pretty good when you have your basic
needs met; a place to live and food to eat,” says Byrd.
Who she sees: “The typical clients have always been seniors who live by
themselves. Ninety-five percent of my seniors are living independently, 70
percent are single men living in the downtown area. There are a significant
number of Vietnam veterans, which is great, because I get to show appreciation
for their service … . Capturing their stories from American history in person
is so cool.”
On bonding with clients: “Lloyd is a vet who reminds me of a family
member, he’s like a great uncle. He almost died a few times, but made
remarkable recoveries in part due to regular visits from Meals on Wheels, and
now, at 72, he’s full of life. It’s so enlivening to see someone like this
getting a second chance at life.”
“Morris would just yell as soon as he heard my
heels, ‘Is that Nina?’ Then he’d run out and give me a hug, show me pictures of
his grandkids, talk about the Portland Trailblazers and the weather, the whole
deal.”
Her most satisfying outcome: “What’s most satisfying is knowing that I’m
connected to real community. It’s the way we humans lived for a long time, when
young and old were together, interacting with each other. … They’re happier
when they see me and so am I. It’s always better to give than to receive.”
On encouraging others to volunteer: “I’ve volunteered for all types of
organizations, but this is a rich, meaningful experience that makes life
fulfilling. When serving, if you lean into the experience and get to know
people, you can see them all like family … . Plus it will bring you more joy
than any Facebook ‘like’ could ever do. That’s what life’s about.”
Donna Reuss: Helping Those with No Family
Donna Reuss, 64, was an emergency planner for
the federal government before she retired; she lives in Alexandria, Va. In her
40s, she had a serious car accident, then a serious illness that kept her
homebound. But at that time, she couldn’t find resources for assistance.
Reuss wanted to volunteer with Meals on Wheels
as a way of helping others in similar situations and those who don’t
necessarily have family nearby to visit them. An ancestry hobbyist, she also
thinks people in the Washington, D.C., area often have lived fascinating lives.
Why she does it: “People get into situations where they can’t
help themselves, so they need someone to help.”
On bonding with clients: “One client told me she’s Catholic, and I’m
Catholic, so we started chatting. I asked her if she was going to the upcoming
multicultural event at her parish, and she didn’t know about it. She’s
wheelchair-bound, but moves with a walker. She knew there was a new bishop, and
I told her he would do the Mass and say hello to everyone there. She was so excited,
so she talked her son into bringing her to the Mass, to get a photo with the
Bishop and with me—she had a frame ready to [put it in].”
Her most satisfying outcome: “It makes me happy to help people out,
especially knowing what it’s like from personal experience to have no one to
help and no one to visit you. There’s a real joy I feel engaging with people
[here]. There are so many interesting lives—even in a three-to-five minute
visit you can learn so much, and help people think about the happier times in
their lives. I hope their families are taking time to listen and document their
stories.”
On encouraging others to volunteer: “It takes so little effort to make people so
happy. Just a bit of time even, just once a month, helps you to know your
community better.”
Amanda Dudley: A Need to Give Back
Amanda Dudley, 38, a talent selection manager
at a real estate firm in Austin, Texas, was raised by a mother who impressed
upon her the need to give back. She has been volunteering or fundraising her
entire adult life.
Why she does it: “Two years ago, I made it my New Year’s
resolution to give back to Meals on Wheels Central Texas, which had helped my
mother-in-law. I signed up for a weekly route on Mondays, and then signed up
for a substitute route for every day of the week.”
Who she sees: “One route has six to nine families—I like to call them
families, not clients, because it’s not a business—we’re providing a service
that is meaningful to them. Generally, a ‘family’ I see is just one person.
Last year, I had a husband and wife, and became really close to them. They
loved it when my daughter joined me, the wife would squeeze on her and love on
her.”
On bonding with clients: “Marie, the woman from the couple I
mentioned, her husband was on hospice care, and I’d deliver two hot meals to
both of them. The husband passed last year. After he died, I encouraged Marie
to continue with the service, because she was living alone, and she did, for
about a year.”
Her most satisfying outcome: “Marie was so heartbroken when her husband
passed away. They were married 72 years. Her kids asked, ‘Mom, why are you
still having Meals on Wheels come, dad’s not here.’ She said, ‘Because I don’t
have anyone to talk to.’ ”
On what volunteers contribute: “Sometimes I’m the only person they’ve seen,
or the only person they’ve seen since their Friday delivery [on a Monday]. One
gentleman is a vet, his family is an hour and a half away, and he’s at home by
himself. I’ll ask about visitors, he’ll say, ‘No, the kids didn’t come by this
weekend.’ It’s so rewarding to know that I’ve brought a smile to his face. One
time he opened the door—the house is very dark—and he was almost blinded by the
light, so I said, ‘Come on out, let’s sit on the front porch and chat.’ ”
On encouraging others to volunteer: “I’ll take a photo of my car [packed with
meals], and send a note to friends saying, ‘It’s one of funnest ways to start
my week!’ Friends would see it and say, ‘What does that entail?’ I’d say,
‘Kindness is free, it’s easy to give out!’ I’ve had several friends join Meals on Wheels.”
To learn more or to volunteer, click here.
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