The Local Source for News and Information Since 1980
Meals-On-Wheels provides nutritional meals to homebound seniors twice a week in Caroline County. It is one of the in-home programs offered by Upper Shore Aging Inc., the nonprofit Area Agency on Aging serving Caroline, Kent, and Talbot counties.
Amanda Brown, manager of the Federalsburg Senior Center, is the local Meals-On-Wheels coordinator. In the past almost two years that she has been running the program here, the number of Caroline County seniors being served has remained about 80 people. The grant-funded program is one of 17 provided by Upper Shore Aging which are designed to help seniors to thrive at home rather than entering nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
All the meals are cleared by a nutritionist with seniors in mind, Brown said, and are the same meals that are served at the Federalsburg and Denton senior centers. The ones delivered to homes are frozen for use when needed by the recipients.
More volunteers are needed to help pack and deliver the frozen meals, Brown said. Caroline County has a waitlist of 20 to 25 people enrolled to be added to the program, which is limited by its need for volunteers. She would like to be able to provide meals to everyone in need. Delivery drivers provide a few hours of volunteer work twice a week.
Currently, the program has around seven dedicated volunteers who come in Mondays and Fridays at 8 a.m. to help pack meals provided by Eat Sprout in Easton, Brown said.
A typical meal might include such things as a meatloaf muffin, mashed potatoes, and green beans or carrots, she said. A sticker is placed on top of each meal container that identifies the meal inside and includes instructions on how to microwave it.
By 9 a.m., all the meals are packed and each volunteer departs on their designed delivery route.
“I think I have some of the best volunteers out there,” Brown said. “All the volunteers pull together to help the program run efficiently and with kindness.”
Because the volunteers have the same route each week, they get to know the people they are delivering to personally, Brown said. Some weeks, they may be the only contact the senior has with the outside world, and often they bring attention to concerns that may arise, which otherwise could go unnoticed.
She said she is impressed by the volunteers’ desire and dedication to help their community.
“It’s always nice to work with people who make it a pleasant experience,” Brown said. “Often, if anyone is unavailable, the volunteers will cover for each other or I will deliver. If anyone has to come late, the others will assist me in packing until the person arrives.”
In the summer, produce is included in delivery once or twice a month – weekly when available.
Potential volunteers must fill out a volunteer application, pass a background check, have a driver’s license, and complete training. They can be reimbursed for mileage. While volunteers of all ages are welcome, those aged 55 and older can sign up through Upper Shore Aging’s Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP).
To become a volunteer or for more information, contact Brown at 410-479-8011. She also may be contacted to enroll in the Meals-On-Wheels program.
