Meals on Wheels Needs
Volunteers
Sasha Stone
Mirror Contributing Writer
"No one is
ever turned away," is the commitment Meals on Wheels makes to all
homebound residents of Santa Monica, Malibu, and the Pacific
Palisades, regardless of age or condition, but the pledge is becoming
more and more difficult to make, as the demand for care increases.
Although Meals on Wheels is currently the only program
in the community providing meals to all homebound persons, allowing,
and even encouraging specific dietary requests for people with special
conditions, like cancer, diabetes, or AIDS, it is the volunteers that,
a spokesperson at Meals On Wheels feels, sets them apart from the
rest. "Many of our clients are frail and isolated, and over a
third have no family or friends at all ... our volunteers provide a
warm and caring link to the outside world - sometimes the only link -
as well as a pair of hands and eyes to watch over them and assist
when other needs cannot be met."
Surviving on public funds, grants, and charitable
donations, Meals On Wheels has been woven into the fabric of the
community. The meals are cheap, and financial assistance is always
available for those who can't afford it, but without the necessary
number of volunteers, the company has been forced to wait-list those
in need, something they pride themselves on never doing,
"This means we cannot help people who need the
meals on a short term basis - for example, people recovering at home
after a hospital stay."
For as little as two hours of donated time a week, a
volunteer can make a significant difference, not only to a fellow
citizen who might otherwise be wait-listed, but also to a service that
enriches the community and the lives of the people in it.
For information on how you can volunteer as a server,
assistant or driver, call (310) 394-7558.
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