Mar 23, 2018 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Outside an apartment at Gateway Senior Housing, Joe Cook couldn’t hear the TV inside, but he knew what would be on the screen.

“There’s always a Western on, so I tell him the chuck wagon is here,” said Cook, a 20-year volunteer with Home Delivered Meals/Meals on Wheels.

Cook knocked on the door and entered. Sure enough, a Western was playing as the resident got to his feet.

At other doors, while pulling items from a shopping cart he uses to deliver the day’s offering, Cook checked his mental inventory, recalling if the person on the other side was able to answer. If not, he knocked and entered with a pleasant, “Good morning. It’s Joe from Meals on Wheels. How are you doing today?”

On Tuesday, Cook had an assistant, state Rep. Pam Snyder, who helped deliver Salisbury steak and corn.

“It’s been great,” said Snyder. “Everybody at the door is happy to see Joe.”

Snyder, Greene County Sheriff Brian Tennant and Elizabeth Menhart of First Federal of Greene County were tapped as Community Champions, giving them the opportunity to deliver meals, speak out for seniors and raise awareness about the importance of Home Delivered Meals/Meals on Wheels.

“It’s a fantastic program. Folks depend on this,” Snyder said. “I always knew this was a good program. It’s nice to see it first-hand.”

The event, at the Waynesburg Senior Community Center, is held by Blueprints in conjunction with the annual March for Meals to honor the day in March 1972 when President Richard Nixon amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 and established a national nutritional program for those 60 and older.

Homebound seniors are eligible to receive a hot meal, consisting of an entree, sides, bread, dessert and a beverage, which are prepared daily by a paid staff.

Frozen meals can be picked up for people who live outside the delivery zones.

There is no charge for meals, but donations are accepted.

“We try to provide good, quality meals,” said Bridget Dennison, manager of Blueprints.

Trained volunteer drivers not only deliver food, said Dennison, but also make sure their seniors are safe.

If a participant doesn’t answer the door, the volunteer tries to make contact by entering or calling. If there is no answer, an emergency contact is called or a caseworker comes to the home.

Dennison said volunteers have been able to help people who have fallen.

“Sometimes, that’s the difference between life and death, so this is a very important service we offer,” she said.

There are about 25 volunteers involved each month at the Waynesburg and Carmichaels centers.

Paul Carlson, who has volunteered for about five years, said he retired and wanted to help others. Delivering meals provides an important social interaction for a lot of seniors, he said.

“Sometimes, we’re the only people they see on a daily basis,” said Carlson.

Of Blueprints’ 1,368 aging services clients last year, 321 took part in Home Delivered Meals.

More than 51,000 meals were provided last year to Greene County seniors.

“This March, hundreds of local Meals on Wheels programs will rally their communities to build the support that will enable them to deliver nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks to America’s most at-risk seniors all year long,” said President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America Ellie Hollander in a news release. “With the demand for Meals on Wheels increasing along with our country’s senior population, we need to ensure that seniors are not forgotten.”

Blueprints is recruiting adults aged 55 and older to volunteer for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Delivering meals and other opportunities are available.

For information, visit myblueprints.org.