MEALS ON WHEELSBy William J. Rivera

Motto

Meals on Wheels states that no senior will ever go hungry or experience social isolation.

Their commitment is to the elderly.

Volunteer

Meals on Wheels is strictly a volunteer organization

As a volunteer…..

You will reap many benefits from your generosity.

There are many jobs available for people interested in service.

According to an article written by the volunteer family, “the number of adults over the age of 65 in America has increased 11 times since 1900 (from 3.1 million to 34.4 million).”

Meals on Wheels Facts

1 in 8 of Americans is over the age of 65.

By 2030 the number of Americans over age 65 is predicted to double – to over 70 million.

Loaves and Fishes could not exist without the help of more than 450 volunteers every weekday.

Volunteers help prepare and serve meals to seniors in 33 different meal sites throughout 3 counties in Oregon.

Meals on Wheels delivers nearly 3,000 meals daily to homebound elderly.

On the average day it requires lots of help from the community.

Without this help, Meals on Wheels would not be able to reach all of the elderly in need of this service.

There are many available jobs

You may help by simply going to the Meals on Wheels website and looking up the list of jobs needing to be filled by volunteers.

Opportunity to Volunteer Central Kitchen Volunteers Needed at 7710 SW 31st Avenue in

Portland. For information on any of the three jobs listed here, please contact Stacey at smyhrvold@lfcpdx.org or phone 503.953.8137.

Dishwasher. Shifts available between 10 a.m. and  2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Pre-plate Packer. Scoop food into individual meal trays and seal. Shifts available between 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Kitchen Helper. Various duties as assigned in the Central Kitchen. Shifts available between 8 a.m. and  12 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Lunch is provided for all volunteers. Meals-On-Wheels drivers are needed at our Cherry Blossom Center,

located at 740 SE 106th Avenue in Portland.  Pickup meals between 10 and 11:30 a.m. Routes available weekdays. Deliver once a week or once a month. Deliveries take about 90 minutes. For more information, contact Robert of Stephen at 503.256.2381.

Citations

http://www.thevolunteerfamily.org/Volunteers/Ideas/BefriendElderly.aspx

http://www.care2.com/causes/health-policy/blog/homebound-and-lonely-on-mothers-day-how-you-can-make-her-day/

http://www.loavesandfishesonline.org/default.asp