Author: andrewYLD

Another blur of  a year has passed! At Meals on Wheels, our work life seems to be a  constant frenzy of  projects, activities, and  change.  There are never enough hours to complete every project we envision, to consider every new idea, or to fully  express our gratitude for our supporters.

Particularly during the holidays, we hear from individuals and groups who wish to support us in some way. Even when  the offers are ones we cannot accept, we nonetheless appreciate that our community continues to think of our program and our seniors. January’s newsletter will include a list of all the folks who supported our mission in 2021. We know we can’t accomplish our work without the support of this generous community.

Our work is also  enhanced by  the dedicated folks at Southeast Washington Aging and Long Term Care, the folks who provide guidance to ensure that we comply with regulations and use State funding in a manner that best serves our seniors.  We work hand-in-hand  in mission to prolong the independent living of our clients.

The SE WA ALTC staff works diligently to help us access available funds to improve our program.  They were recently able to redesignate some funds to allow us to purchase two vital pieces of equipment that broke nearly simultaneously: our blast chiller and our tilt skillet. Combined cost & installation of this equipment is nearly $100,000! Without the efforts of ALTC, we would have had very difficult decisions to make regarding the quality and age of replacement equipment. Through their assistance, we are awaiting installation of new, high-quality equipment that will serve this community for many years.

No end-of-year message would be complete without a thank-you to the entire Senior Life Resources team! In addition to the Meals on Wheels staff who dedicate themselves to the service of seniors, we have a great team of folks who make the magic happen behind the scenes. We are grateful for the folks who support us in Finance, Payroll, and Human Resources. We are also thankful to work with our sister program, Home Care Services, who provide amazing personal care for many seniors and disabled folks throughout southeast Washington.

As we look forward to the beginning of a new year, I’d also like to thank our clients for the notes and phone calls of encouragement. Our staff and volunteers feel privileged to serve, and hearing from our clients is a special added bonus.  Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all a most happy and healthy 2022!

In this month when we make a point to be thankful, I’d like to share a couple incidents that occurred in October, both of which make me so thankful for my position with Meals on Wheels, working for and with so many amazing staff and  volunteers and clients!

—We have a wonderful volunteer who helps us in a million ways: she works in the admin office, delivers meals, helps assemble the bags of meals for delivery, and volunteers in whatever capacity is needed. In addition, she’s a generous donor and wonderful advocate for our program. She’s just finishing treatment for a serious-but-manageable health crisis in her own life.

   Although many folks might be focused on their own issues at such a time, she took the time to send ME a note of encouragement, a gesture that meant so much! Her words truly boosted me at a time when I felt pretty overwhelmed and maybe even a little discouraged. Our volunteers are simply the best!

—Our staff and seniors are also pretty amazing! A few of our staff members were out sick in October, leaving us short-handed on multiple fronts. Everyone on our staff willingly, enthusiastically, and without complaint juggled their jobs and their schedules to cover different positions and duties to ensure that meals were available for our seniors without interruption.

   During this period when we were short-staffed, we unfortunately had no one available to answer the phone most  afternoons. Callers had to leave a voicemail for us to return. Every caller was incredibly gracious and understanding of our situation, which certainly made our work much easier and more enjoyable.

On behalf of Meals on Wheels, I want to thank all our staff, volunteers, and clients for the contributions they have made and continue to make to our program and our community. I’d also like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope that you’ll enjoy our November 23rd Thanksgiving meal!

Fall has officially arrived! For Meals on Wheels staff, fall brings means wrapping up projects, preparation for upcoming holiday meals, and emergency planning for likely wintery weather issues.

Each year we re-evaluate our snow days protocols in an attempt to ensure that our processes best serve our   senior clients while still providing safety for our dedicated volunteers and staff. In addition, we review and re-train staff to make sure everyone understands their roles as we get ready for that first snowfall.

One of the measures we take on behalf of our homebound clients is the preparation of emergency boxes of food to be used if volunteers are unable to deliver our normal meals. In late October or early November, volunteer drivers will deliver boxes of these emergency meals to all our home delivery clients. Items in the boxes are non-perishable items such as soup, granola bars, and fruit cups. The boxes can just be stored in the cupboard and do not require refrigeration.

Emergency boxes have been very helpful to clients not just when there’s been snow. We’ve been unable to deliver for many oddball reasons over the years. Delivery has been impeded in the past by parking lot paving, auto wrecks, and flooded streets. We’ve even encountered a few police standoffs that have locked down entire neighborhoods.

Our local Emergency Response teams encourage all of us to be prepared with supplies like bottled water, canned foods, blankets, and flashlights. And of course, we should all have an emergency plan in place so that we’re well-prepared for any crisis.