HOUSTON— Northwest Assistance Ministries’ (NAM’s) Meals on Wheels (MOW) program is urgently in need of volunteers to assist with delivering meals to homebound seniors after resuming its daily meal deliveries last month.
During the height of the pandemic shut-down, NAM relied on approximately 80 volunteers making weekly deliveries of shelf-stable meals. With more than 900 seniors relying on meals and groceries provided by NAM and MOW, resuming daily deliveries requires over 220 volunteers each week.
Volunteers do more than just deliver hot meals; they provide a human connection and a smile for homebound seniors and disabled adults. For many who live alone without family nearby, the meal deliveries are usually the only daily in-person interaction they have.
“I started out delivering meals to six clients and I now deliver to 12 each day,” says John, who has been volunteering at NAM for two and a half months. “I really enjoy meeting the people and talking with them – and I know they appreciate the conversation as well.”
Volunteers are needed at three locations to deliver hundreds of meals across dozens of routes Monday through Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. MOW Locations include NAM’s Main Office, West Side Office and Bear Creek. Individuals, corporations seeking days of service, church and civic groups are all welcome. Meal delivery drivers must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license; face masks, gloves and social distancing are required. For questions about volunteer opportunities please email volunteer@namonline.org. Prospective volunteers can sign up at www.namonline.org/volunteer.
Meals on Wheels delivers hot, well-balanced meals to the doors of seniors and other neighbors who are homebound because of disability or illness. By supporting their nutritional needs and providing a daily check on well-being, the program helps seniors remain healthy and independent for as long as possible.
Northwest Assistance Ministries is a non-profit, community-based social service agency that strives to meet basic human needs through Neighbors Helping Neighbors. NAM provides assistance in areas such as food, shelter, health, education and domestic violence awareness and intervention. During its last fiscal year, NAM touched the lives of more than 136,000 people through its many programs and services.
