Here at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, we're always in need of volunteers to help deliver meals to our homebound neighbors.
It's a great way to stay active and make a difference in the community. From the time they gather at one of our 21 locations in Stark and Wayne counties, to actually delivering the meals to our clients' homes, volunteers are interacting with people who enjoy their company and depend on their spirit of service.
As a volunteer, you'll typically help one day a week, and deliver the same route each time. That way, you'll become familiar with the streets and neighborhoods you travel, and get well acquainted with the clients on your route.
Arrival time is around 10:30 a.m., and deliveries begin at 10:45. Most routes take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete. We provide training for new volunteers, and mileage reimbursement is available.
It's important to note that our volunteers do more than just deliver meals. They offer warm smiles and peace of mind—for our clients, and their loved ones. Volunteers are often the only people our clients see during the day. If a client doesn't answer the door, or if our volunteer notices something else out of the ordinary when they arrive at the home, the volunteer is instructed to call our office to notify us.
We then attempt to call the client; if we're not able to reach them, we then contact a relative or neighbor that the client had previously designated, just to let them know. Following this simple procedure, some clients have been rescued from potentially catastrophic situations. In some cases, lives have been saved.
We believe passionately in the work we do and are proud of the dedicated service our volunteers provide every day. Can we count on you to lend a hand? Just call us at 330-832-7220 to become a part of the team. Or visit our website at
http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/ for more information.
“We currently have a number of openings for volunteer drivers in the Alliance and Wooster areas,” said Teresa Barry, CEO. “Often our volunteers are the only people our clients see during the day, so the volunteers deliver more than just a meal when they visit. They also provide peace of mind and a friendly smile to those who are alone.”
Even Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits can’t offset the devastating financial impact being felt by our nation's seniors.
The students used the footage as part of a project for their Service Learning class. Groups in the class selected a non-profit organization to highlight. The videos are posted online.
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.
There is nothing like the feeling of sharing a hot, well-balanced meal while enjoying the simple pleasure of conversation and companionship. Studies have shown that socialization is an important part of remaining mentally alert as we age, and brightening our outlook on life in general. That's where our Congregate Dining Program fits in; it's an important part of the services we provide at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.
On July 14, 1965, President Johnson signed the Older Americans Act (OAA). Two weeks later, on July 30, he signed legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid (left, with former President Harry Truman looking on).
Staff writer Steve Huzai interviewed Teresa Barry, CEO of Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, for background on the story.
Every year during the months of July and August, safety personnel from the two counties join forces and assist with deliveries in their communities. It not only helps with the work load at our outlying sites, it has a positive effect on our clients by involving our police and fire departments in non-threatening situation.
Our new 12-foot box truck hit the road and began delivering meals to our various sites in June.
The article, headlined "Fallout From The Baby Boom," was the featured article on the front page of the "Your Voice" section of the paper.
It's a great way to stay active and make a difference in the community. From the time they gather at one of our 21 locations in Stark and Wayne counties, to actually delivering the meals to our clients' homes, volunteers are interacting with people who enjoy their company and depend on their spirit of service.
The first one is an appearance by our CEO, Teresa Barry, on the "On Track with Betty Mac" television program. "On Track" airs weekly on Canton City Schools Television, which is carried on Time Warner Cable channel 11 in the Canton, Ohio market. You can view the segment here; it runs just under 10 minutes.
