Volunteers Needed for Meals on Wheels Program

If you live in Cayuga County, your help is needed in providing food to homebound older adults.

The Office for the Aging is in need of additional volunteer drivers and substitutes for its Meals on Wheels program. Jenna Adams manages the program; speaking to Finger Lakes News Radio, she said volunteers provide a vital service to an isolated population.

“The Meals on Wheels volunteers are very vital within our community,” said Adams. “They often visit people who don’t usually have contact with the outside world, who are isolated. They provide a daily check-in, a nutritious meal, and offer a wellness check which is also a very big part of our program, to make sure that people are thriving in their own home.”

The office encourages volunteers to deliver on a schedule that works best for them. According to the office, many drivers do so seasonally, either travelling out of state during the winter or using the summer for vacations. This means substitutes are critical in filling these gaps.

“Oftentimes, nowadays, the aging population is growing but the funding remains static so, therefore, volunteers and being able to operate on a volunteer basis is pretty big,” continued Adams. “We get many compliments every day about our volunteers.”

Deliveries take approximately two hours to complete on a weekday morning and mileage reimbursement is available for rural routes. Training and orientation are provided.

Meals can be picked up in either Auburn or Moravia. If schools close due to poor weather, deliveries are cancelled and meal recipients use emergency food kits provided by the office.

Due to the size of the county, stretching from Lake Ontario in the north to Tompkins County in the south, Adams stated that having an ample supply of drivers and substitutes is vital for the program’s success.

Those interested in volunteering can call 315-253-1104 or email [email protected].