Meals for Wheels providing more than nutrition to those they serve, residents say

“They’ll see if I’ve set my garbage out, just on the step,” Irving said in an interview Thursday.

“Well they’ll just run this out for you, or especially when I had my cast on my arm, and all sorts of little things, if I can’t open a jar, they’ll be there. Oh, of course, I’ll open that for you,” she added.

“They’re so friendly.”

She spoke to CHAT News as the “March for Meals” month-long fundraising campaign for Meals on Wheels comes to a close this week.

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READ: ‘March for Meals’ dedicates month to delivering meals for seniors

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Some of the meals are subsidized through fundraising efforts.

In Medicine Hat, it’s operated through the Unison at the Veiner Centre.

Judy Hewitt, who recently had knee surgery, has been using the service for her and her husband since the end of February for two days a week.

“It’s awesome, I do. And the guys, they come in, they’re very friendly,” Hewitt said.

“They probably look around and make sure everything’s okay. I think it’s a great service.”

Each weekday meals are prepared at the Veiner Centre beginning at 7 a.m., with deliveries starting around 9 a.m. each day. With over 700 meals going out each week, it’s a busy process.

Volunteers meet each morning and visit prior to deliveries.

Alvin Kurpjuweit, a volunteer with the program for about 15 years, said he enjoys it.

“Well, certainly sometimes I think we’re the only people that they see from one day to the next,” Kurpjuweit said.

“That’s kind of a rewarding issue, especially for those of us who deliver,” he added.

“Then there’s always a social aspect of the group that delivers, which is very good for me as well.”

Larry Mathieson, president and CEO at Unison at Veiner Centre said the March for Meals fundraising appeal is going on across North America, with positive research on the impact of their program.

“The likelihood of a senior needing an emergency room visit or the likelihood that they’ll break a hip is actually reduced if they’re a Meals on Wheels user,” Mathieson said.

“There’s a lot of actually secondary health benefits to the program that go beyond the loneliness factor or the nutrition itself.”

Irving lives alone, her husband gone now for 17 years, and her pet dog passing away in September.

She has been appreciative of the company.

“It was so nice, and especially during this long, cold winter, that it was no light, where you hardly saw very many people,” Irving said.

“It was so nice to see a nice, friendly face come into my house. I really did appreciate it.”

With each delivery the programs is providing a benefit to those that use it.

by Jesse Gill

Meals for Wheels providing more than nutrition to those they serve, residents say

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