Meals-on-Wheels of Senior Services, Inc., operates three nutrition programs to assist the homebound elderly in Forsyth County: the hot-meals program, the grocery program and the frozen meals program, just added in 2006. Volunteers have delivered more than 3,000,000 meals to the elderly in Forsyth County since the program began in 1962. It is the oldest home-delivered meals program in the Southeast.
Services Provided
Meals-on-Wheels provides a hot nutritious lunch each weekday for Forsyth County's homebound elderly. This service helps provide necessary nutrition and social contact for the elderly, enabling them to remain in their homes.
The newest addition to Meals-on-Wheels is the frozen meals program. Every two weeks homebound seniors in Forsyth County receive 10 frozen meals. The meals are packaged and ready to be reheated in the oven or microwave. This service provides essential nutrition for those clients who are more independent and able to reheat food for themselves. Should a client need more assistance in the future they can switch to the hot-meal program.
Meals-on-Wheels also provides shelf-stable groceries to individuals on the waiting list. This service allows the program to address some of the nutritional needs of the homebound elderly while they are waiting to receive the hot lunch meal.
Eligibility
Forsyth County residents age 60 or over who are unable to obtain and prepare food for themselves are eligible for service.
To make a referral, simply call the Meals-on-Wheels office (748-5932). Referrals usually come from prospective clients themselves or through the Department of Social Services, County Health Department, doctors, ministers or other concerned citizens.
Referred individuals may be put on a waiting list. Our services are dependent on availability of funding and volunteers for specific areas, so a space may not be available in a given neighborhood right away. Our office will work with you to determine the estimated time you will be on the waiting list and whether you are eligible to participate in the grocery program while you are waiting for space on the hot lunch list or in the frozen meals program.
Cost of Service
The cost per meal is $4.00. However, limited funding is available for clients who are unable to pay for their meals. Persons using these funds have the opportunity to share in the cost of service by giving what they can afford as a consumer contribution; however, no one is denied service because of an inability to pay.
Volunteers Needed!
The Meals-on-Wheels program relies on the help of volunteers to get the meals delivered. Please consider making a difference, and discover the rewarding joys of being a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer! Volunteers come from all walks of life and include employees of major corporations and small businesses, members of church and civic groups, students and retirees.
Each morning, Monday through Friday, between 9:45 A.M. and 11:00 A.M., volunteers gather at our new Senior Services Center, or one of the five satellite sites, to begin their routes. They pick up the meals and route sheets for their assigned area and make the deliveries in their own cars. Each route sheet contains pertinent information about the recipients and written directions to each home.
Volunteers deliver as often, or as infrequently, as their schedules allow, and many choose the geographic area of the county they prefer. Delivery time for each route is approximately one hour. Help reduce waiting lists by volunteering for a hot meal route!
In addition to the main pick-up site at the Senior Services Center, several satellite sites are positioned around the county for additional pick up by volunteers:
· Robinwood Retirement Community, Kernersville
· Arbor Acres, Winston-Salem
· Salemtowne Moravian, Winston-Salem
· Walkertown Outreach Ministries, Walkertown
· Holy Family Catholic Church, Clemmons
Other Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are also needed to deliver frozen meals every two weeks to homebound seniors in Forsyth County. Deliveries are every other Tuesday, and the boxed meals are available for pick up at the Senior Services Center. Volunteers are provided with directions and pertinent information about the clients, just as the volunteers making the hot meal deliveries are. Each route consists of seven to nine clients, grouped geographically. Delivery time for each route is approximately 45 minutes, but the rewards last much longer! Consider giving your time to help with this exciting new program!
Volunteers are needed to pack bags of shelf-stable groceries, as well as to deliver grocery bags to waiting-list clients. Grocery bags may be packed and delivered at the volunteer's convenience. The grocery program is the perfect opportunity for a scout group, church group, civic group or any other group or individual wanting to help make a difference in the community.
For more information, call 748-5932 or
send an e-mail to mow@seniorservicesinc.org