Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Santa Monica, California: Volunteering for Meals on Wheels West


Meals on Wheels West is a nutrition program that delivers meals to home-bound people. My husband Lauren is a volunteer. Volunteerism runs in his blood. He had been a Peace Corps Volunteer, which was how we met. His mother had, for many years, run a nutrition program in Pasadena. Lauren continues the tradition.





Once a week, he helps with the food delivery. It's very straightforward: he picks up pre-packed meals from the office of Meals on Wheels West on 1823-A Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica, and he has a list of around 10 people who will receive the meals that day.  There is a hot meal, and 2 cold packages, plus milk and/or juice. Sometimes there are fruit and vegetables to add to the prepacked meals (I suspect these are donations from supermarkets).



The clients that he serves are in Santa Monica. They are old and unable to do their shopping and cooking. Some are ill or have had recent surgery. Some live in very nice apartment buildings with ocean view, some in subsidized housing. It takes around two hours to deliver the food.

The Meals on Wheels Program allows many of these people to extend their stay at home. There is also the added benefit of having a person check on them daily (although technically that is not the job of the volunteer).

There are Meals on Wheels programs in other places.

If you feel like sharing something to others, dear Readers, consider doing volunteer work. It's nourishment for the soul. (And you know, it's good to create good karma.)






Read also
Historic Chez Jay Restauran in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica City's New Tongva Park
California: Night Tour of Santa Monica Pier

tags: Santa Monica, Meals on Wheels, food, nutrition, program, volunteer, elderly, non-profit

This is all for now,
Cecilia

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