For over 40 years, Meals on Wheels Plus has been providing our local senior and disabled community with hot nutritious meals and have extended their program to include community events, a fitness center and fun activity-based classes for seniors.
Volunteer Engagement Manager, Wanda Read-Burke, has discussed with us some of the programs and volunteer opportunities available to seniors who would like to give back to their community.
Meals on Wheels has some great roles for seniors and anyone who wants to help out. Seniors helping seniors can be a beneficial experience that helps with ‘keeping their volunteer spirit alive,” said Read-Burke.
Professional retirees can help out in the office with simple tasks like filing, printing, copying and helping answer the telephone. For those who are able to drive, you can help deliver meals to the wonderful clients.
Wanda Read-Burke remembers one of her favorite memories, “We were short volunteer drivers one day and I actually ran a route myself. The interaction with the clients when you deliver their meal is just beyond words. It is so gratifying to have them come to the door and accept their meal and just give the volunteer blessings themselves.”
With the upcoming holiday season, Meals on Wheels is starting up their annual Grandma’s Goodies program. Local businesses can purchase cookies and candies for their clients with all proceeds benefitting Meals on Wheels Plus. You can visit here http://mealsonwheelsplus.org/grandmas-goodies.php to order some irresistible sweet treats.
Since Meals on Wheels has added the ‘Plus’, that means more activities for our senior community. They offer quite a few activities and programs to keep your senior active and healthy. To name just a few, there is an adult day care to keep your aging loved one engaged and social; senior enrichment center which features dance, fitness, and special interest classes; and the senior wheels service to take seniors to doctors’ appointments, grocery shopping, etc.
On November 13 and 20, Meals on Wheels will be hosting the 15th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon. Guests will enjoy food, entertainment and prizes. All proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of Manatee. Visit their website here to get your tickets and more information http://www.mealsonwheelsplus.org/
Secure Aging wants to make sure your aging loved one lives an active and happy life. If they enjoy being out in their community and helping others, it can create improvements in their mood and mindset. We can help make life easier by tracking monthly income and expenses, as well as fully advocating for our clients’ well-being and safety. We are here to help make your life easier and keep your loved ones safe.
Reba Rogers, CPA, is the founder of Secure Aging, a group of care managers who preserve the independence and protect the assets of seniors by helping them with financial management. She is also a Director Consultant for BNI (Business Network International), a referral marketing organization which gives her access to many trusted business professionals in the community.
