It could happen to any of us; perhaps, one day, it even might be us.
A senior, home-bound or just home from the hospital and unable to do much for himself. A disabled person, unable to work and trying to scrape by on disability payments. Someone, living by herself with no friends or family nearby, and recovering from a medical episode.
Those are the people helped each and every day by Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg. Tuesday, community leaders from across Central Virginia rode shotgun with Meals on Wheels volunteers as they went about their appointed daily rounds, delivering a hot meal to more than 660 folks and checking in to see how they’re faring. The March for Meals ride-along gave them the chance to see up close a side of Central Virginia that’s often hidden from view.
And if you wonder whether or not the success rate of Meals on Wheels is, in any way, quantifiable, just consider these numbers:
» In 2017, volunteers delivered 84,143 meals to seniors and others in need — 78,129 “regular” meals, 1,500 “in case of blizzard” boxed meals and 4,514 deliveries of doctor-ordered, protein-rich Ensure.
» Two new routes were established in 2017 to serve more seniors in need.
» In 2017, Meals on Wheels army of volunteers logged 17,000 volunteer hours and 97,000 volunteer miles serving others throughout Central Virginia.
» Meals on Wheels volunteers also remembered their clients on holidays throughout the year, delivering 981 Valentines, more than a thousand Easter Eggs, 1,554 patriotic-themed tray favors, more than a thousand Christmas cards and 325 poinsettias.
Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg receives 100 percent of its funding from local sources. Individual donations account for half of the nonprofit’s annual budget, while grants, fundraising events and contributions from churches and other houses of worship account for the rest. There are no state or federal dollars involved.
People of all ages and all incomes are accepted into the program. In 2017, more than 12 percent of clients pay full price for the service; about 12 percent pay on a sliding scale based on one’s ability to pay; and about 76 percent receive their meals at no charge. Meals are diabetic and heart-friendly, and staff can even work with a client’s doctor to provide special diets.
So many people, especially the elderly living on their own, are in danger of being food insecure and lapsing into an unhealthy diet that simply keeps them functioning. Just stop to consider that a year’s worth of home-delivered meals costs about as much as a day’s stay in a hospital, and you begin to see the great value of Meals on Wheels. Keeping people healthy in their homes is much more cost-effective than getting them healthy in a hospital.
Learn more about Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg at www.mealsonwheelslynchburg.org. A contribution of either your time or your resources will ripple through the community and the lives of hundreds of people in ways you can’t even imagine.