Over the next few weeks, many folks will settle in to watch some film version or other of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Whether it’s The Muppets, Alistair Sim or Mickey and Friends, in the end old Scrooge learns what the Christmas Spirit is, and part of that turnaround is delivering a meal to his clerk Bob Cratchit and family. In the book version and some films Scrooge says “’I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year…” Volunteering with Meals on Wheels is one way that you can keep up the Christmas Spirit all year ‘round.
Meals on Wheels is a program run by Riverside Health Care that delivers meals to community members who have difficulty purchasing or preparing their own meals, due to health or mobility challenges. That’s where meals on wheels comes in, but businesses, organizations and individual volunteers are needed to deliver the meals to those who avail of the service.
Riverside Healthcare took over Meals on Wheels meal preparation and delivery in July 2021 after the Fort Frances Meals on Wheels Board faced challenges in the Summer of 2020. Once Riverside took over the service, they were able to eliminate the waitlist that the board had and anyone waiting could avail of the service. Now, Meals on Wheels delivers approximately 140 meals per week, adding up to over 500 meals per month which need to get to clients.
Heather Krawchuk works at the Window and Door Store in Fort Frances. That business has taken two slots a week delivering Meals on Wheels for some time, she said it was a pretty simple process.
“We took two days a week, and we asked our office staff who wanted to go and they went and delivered for two hours,” she said.
Krawchuk says the business heard that Meals on Wheels was in need of volunteers so they decided to donate their time.
“We just wanted to get out there and help people,” she said. “We knew they were short handed as we thought ‘we can help, so let’s help.’”
Krawchuk says staff enjoyed getting out in the community and meeting the Meals on Wheels clients.
“They loved talking with the people, when we dropped off the meals,” she said. “It made them feel good.”
Krawchuk encourages any business that might have the flexibility to let their employees spend some time in their work day volunteering to do so.
“Just get out and help,” she said. “The people love seeing you at the door, they appreciate you bringing them their meals, especially in the winter months because they don’t get out lots, and they just love seeing people.”
Nicole Piotrowski, Supervisor, Food and Nutrition Services for Riverside Health Care says the Meals on Wheels clients really enjoy the interaction. Even if it’s only the briefest stop to drop off a meal, it may be the only interaction with another person that some people get that day.
Riverside says that volunteer slots can be very flexible when it comes to scheduling. Volunteers may want to do a one-off here or there, or be on the emergency call list if there are any cancellations on a given day. Meals are typically delivered around the lunch hour, and start at 11 a.m.
Other organizations and businesses which volunteer to deliver include, West Land Insurance, St. Mary’s Catholic Women’s League, students from Fort Frances High School and the Church of the Holy Spirit, among others.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Meals on Wheels should contact Nicole Piotrowski, Supervisor, Food and Nutrition Services, Environmental Services at Riverside Healthcare Facilities by email at n.piotrowski@RHCF.on.ca or by phone, (807) 274-3266 extension 4818
