'Stark County Delivers' Campaign Seeks Corporate Teams to Volunteer for Meals On Wheels

We're excited that Leadership Stark County (LSC) is partnering with us this month to help recruit businesses and organizations to deliver meals for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties!

Five members of the current LSC class are spearheading our "Stark County Delivers" campaign during the month of May, helping us spread the word about our corporate Adopt-a-Route program. 

Participating organizations select a route at one of our 20 sites and "adopt" that route for weekly deliveries. Employees sign up and deliver meals on a rotating basis, sharing the responsibilities.

Currently about a dozen organizations are involved, and we're hoping to double that number during the campaign.

It's especially important right now. Volunteers drive more than 60 routes every weekday, and currently there are a number of routes that do not have regular volunteer drivers during the week. The "Stark County Delivers" campaign is designed to address that need with both individual and corporate recruiting.

Most volunteers or volunteer teams serve once a week. Meals are delivered beginning at 11 a.m. weekdays, and most routes take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete.

For many of our clients, our volunteers are the only people they see during the day. It means a lot to receive a friendly greeting each day, and it provides peace of mind for them and their loved ones, knowing that someone is checking in on them each day.

To help spread the word about the campaign and recruit corporate volunteers, five members of the current class of Leadership Stark County comprise the committee that is spearheading the “Stark County Delivers” campaign. They are: Marcie Bragg, Goodwill Industries; Christina Burr, Aultman Hospital; Darla Brown, Gatehouse Media; Jill Dorsey, Alliance Community Hospital; and David Pilati, Plain Local Schools.

“We’re thrilled to be helping Meals On Wheels and excited about reaching out to the business community,” said Dorsey. “Delivering meals to the elderly and homebound is a perfect volunteer opportunity for a business that is looking to make a difference in our community.”

Companies or individuals interested in volunteering with Meals On Wheels should contact Linda Spielman at 330-832-7220.

The Massillon Rotary Club Adopts A Route!

Meal On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties welcomes the Massillon Rotary Club as our newest "Adopt-a-Route" participant! This morning the club began a regular schedule of delivering meals on a Massillon route every other Friday.

Richard Regula (pictured with Linda Spielman, our volunteer coordinator) was the first member to deliver on behalf of the Massillon club. Richard is director of market outreach at Mercy Medical Center in Canton.

Adopting a route is easy, and is a great way for your company or organization to help out in the community. You simply select a route at one of our locations nearest you, and then members of your organization or company sign up to deliver on a rotating basis. The more people who help, the easier it gets!

More important, you'll be making a difference in the lives of our homebound clients. Not only will you deliver food to those in need, but your team members may be the only people some of our clients see during the day. We provide more than a meal -- we offer companionship, compassion, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing someone is checking in on them during the day.

To become an Adopt-a-Route sponsor, contact Linda at 330-832-7220.

Meals On Wheels Volunteers Featured In United Way Publication Highlighting Volunteerism

Jerry and Mary Felland (left), volunteers for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, are featured in a newspaper insert in today's Canton Repository that promotes volunteerism in our community and highlights National Volunteer Week, which will take place April 15-21.

The 12-page tabloid publication, produced by United Way of Greater Stark County, highlights the benefits of volunteering, and promotes volunteerism by companies and organizations. Jerry and Mary, who serve out of our Brewster site, are featured in a "Volunteer Recognition Testimonial" profile.

"I volunteer because it's a way to help and give back to the community and it's something useful to do," the article quotes Jerry as saying. "I truly enjoy meeting and getting to know the people we serve. Meals On Wheels always needs more volunteers. I wish that more people would take an interest in volunteering for their community."

Mary also discusses the benefits of their service: "I absolutely love seeing the people and hearing the stories they have to tell. You really build a relationship with the people you serve here. Meals on Wheels is an excellent organization! It means so much more than just providing food to people in need. It is a means of checking up on the elderly and the disabled. For some of the clients, we are the only person they see throughout the day."

To read the full article, click on the photo to the right.

The publication was produced in conjunction with Volunteer Leaders in Action (VLIA), a professional organization that provides a platform of education, support and networking for volunteer leaders in the non-profit sector. Linda Spielman, volunteer coordinator for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, is vice president of VLIA.

"Jerry and Mary are wonderful people, and are willing to help in any way they can," said Linda. "They truly exemplify the spirit of service that volunteering is all about."

Without our volunteers, we would not be able to serve the hundreds and hundreds of clients we do every day. If you or your company would like to join hands with us to help our homebound neighbors, just give Linda a call at 330-832-7220, or visit the Volunteer section of our website.

New Staff Members at Our Agency Office

We recently welcomed two new staff members at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.

Linda Spielman has joined the agency as Volunteer Coordinator. She is responsible for recruiting and scheduling volunteers who deliver meals to each of the 21 distribution locations, and to clients’ homes. Before joining Meals On Wheels, Linda worked in vendor management at Serva, Inc., in Independence. Prior to that she was a shift supervisor and youth coordinator at Hall of Fame Lanes in Canton. She has two grown children and lives in Jackson Township.

Darlene Leeder is the agency’s Secretary/Receptionist. She comes to Meals On Wheels from Business Success Enterprises in Wooster where she worked as a secretary. Before that Darlene held the position of accounting clerk at Bridgeview Customs Brokers in Canada. She lives in Apple Creek with her husband Mike and their children.

We're happy to welcome Linda and Darlene to our team!

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties Visits Two Community Events

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties participated in two community events the week of September 13.

Linda Spielman, volunteer coordinator, represented the agency Sept. 14 at a volunteer fair sponsored by Mount Union University in Alliance. The event was attended by students, faculty and staff, and was designed to let members of the university community learn about volunteer service opportunities in the area.

Tom Delamater, public relations administrator, represented the agency Sept. 19 at a missions fair (above photo) sponsored by Bethany Mennonite Church in Hartville. About 250 members of the congregation enjoyed lunch in the church's gymnasium facility, and then toured the more than two dozen displays by organizations offering service opportunities locally, nationally and abroad.

Meals On Wheels was represented by a display board and an assortment of literature describing the agency, its programs, and volunteer opportunities.

Volunteering to deliver meals for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties is easy! Call 330-832-7220 for more information or to get started.