Mission Makers
United Way Meals on Wheels delivers 5,000+ meals to homebound seniors and disabled individuals throughout Jefferson County each week. Volunteers, whether individuals or groups, are the lifeblood of Meals on Wheels. Canterbury United Methodist is one church that decided to form a Meals on Wheels volunteer group as part of its outreach program. Rachel Estes, Director of Outreach at Canterbury United Methodist, explains that partnering with United Way has been an effective way to connect with community members. “People at Canterbury love to feed folks in the community,” Estes explains, adding that she has seen a camaraderie form between volunteer groups at the church. “They have a text thread going, and they check in with each other about their different clients that they are visiting,” Estes says.
Volunteer with Flexibility. Estes explains that volunteering with Meals on Wheels is typically easy to add to your schedule. You can volunteer once a week or even once a month. “It’s about a 75-minute commitment from beginning to end at the most. Sometimes, you can get it done in about an hour. So, it’s very doable for working people and those balancing a lot in different life seasons,” Estes says. The volunteer group at Canterbury includes retired individuals, young moms with kids, plus working men and women. Estes adds that Canterbury weaves in other ministries with their Meals on Wheels group. “We do a book club at a women’s prison, and those ladies love to serve. So, they will decorate pumpkins with Scripture or beautiful little art,” Estes explains, adding that they give those pumpkins or other crafts to the Meals on Wheels volunteers to share with the individuals on their delivery routes. Estes believes that having Meals on Wheels volunteer groups at Canterbury is a great way to meet people where they are and respond to Matthew 25.
Meet a Volunteer. One of the Meals on Wheels Canterbury volunteers is Edie Kitchings, who has been volunteering for nearly five years. What’s the most rewarding part of volunteering for her? “We get to know our recipients. We keep up with them,” Kitchings shares, adding that she also enjoys the relationships she has formed with her fellow volunteers.
Whether you’re interested in forming a volunteer group at your church or would like to volunteer individually, visit www.mowjeffco.org to learn more about the available opportunities.
Watch the video below to learn more about what it looks like to volunteer with Meals on Wheels. †
