How do you teach new United Way staff members about Meals on Wheels? Easy…you take them on a ride in the Meals on Wheels Subaru Outback Wagon and deliver meals to homebound seniors.
“After meeting Meals on Wheels recipients in person, I now understand that social interaction is just as important as the nutritious meal,” said Eli Seratt of United Way of Central Alabama’s Marketing Department. That’s so true. In fact, for many Meals on Wheels participants, greeting and chatting with the friendly volunteers who deliver their meals might be the only social interaction they have all day.
Eli and her teammates recently headed out to the Titusville Community in West Birmingham to deliver six lunches to homebound seniors, and get a taste of what the Meals on Wheels experience is like for more than 800 Meals on Wheels clients and 650+ volunteers in Jefferson County.
Thanks to the great navigation system in the Subaru Outback Wagon, the team found its way, weaving up and down tiny streets — some without any street signs at all. Reflecting on the day, Eli said, “Having participated in meal delivery and meeting actual Meals on Wheels recipients in their homes, I’m better able to share information about the program and help recruit volunteers.”