Springwell, Inc.

I am a volunteer "meals on wheels" driver with Springwell. I pick up a variety of meals (10-30 on a given day) from the distribution site and deliver them door-to-door, with a personal touch to mostly elders in the community. It is essential, a wee bit physically challenging, rewarding work. The organization is exceptionally supportive of volunteers (schedule to fit yours), highly nimble in creating ways to continue its mission during this pandemic time.

It is very rewarding to both the recipient of the meals and the driver/deliverer. The contact with people is amazing; their appreciation is amazing; it is a win/win day for all!

I have delivered Meals on Wheels for the past 3 years. It has been a wonderful experience bring a meal to elderly people, many of whom live alone. For some, I might be the only person they see all day so chatting for a few minutes seems to brighten their day as well as mine. The time commitment is only about an hour or so a week and to start I went out with an experienced driver one time. I have also worked in the kitchen putting the meals together to be sent out to people's homes as well as for those coming to the Senior Center for a congregant meal. You can really get to know some of the people who come to the SC. The work is easy and takes about 3 hours. I would highly recommend volunteering for Meals on Wheels.

Prior to becoming the Assistant Director for the program I was a volunteer for 10 years. The work I did as a volunteer was rewarding. I informed residents of their rights and assisted families with concerns at area nursing homes. The director, Mary Brooks has provided support and taught me strategies in mediating concerns for our residents in long term care settings.

As a volunteer ombudsman for BayPath, I received a 3 day training by the state and continue to receive guidance and support in this role from Mary Brooks, the director of the BayPath program. I view my role as a privilege and get much more from my contacts with the nursing home residents than I give. To be able to assist them as their advocate to improve the quality of their lives when necessary is rewarding and usually not a difficult process. Guidance from Mary is always available and I am well mentored by her. I highly recommend joining this great team of volunteer ombudsmen. Besides visiting a long-term care facility once a week, we meet as a group monthly for a 2 hour meeting. If you have 8-10 hours a month to spare, I can't recommend a better place to share your talents.