Local Senior Centers Looking for Volunteers

The National Council on Aging has set the month of September to recognize the nation’s senior centers. The (MontcoSAAC) has established the month as the period for recruiting additional volunteers to operate its Meals on Wheels programs which originate in Norristown, Ambler and Glenside. 

Meals on wheels is only one facet of the organizations senior centers, but utilizing the hundreds of volunteers already making possible the 125,000 meals annually delivered to the homebound seniors in eastern Montgomery county is a major emphasis. Not only are the meals nutritious but the service provides a contact with a caring human being which might well be the only contact that individual has for several days. Many stories exist of actual life-saving situations where the volunteer comes upon a serious health or other emergency and because of his or her action, further difficulty is eliminated. 

A few hours a week is all that is required of a volunteer, except of course, that person’s automobile. Typically the volunteer operates with a team member although some do function alone. Typically the meal is picked up from the center between 10:15 a.m. in the morning and eleven o’clock. The delivery to several homes, following a prescribed route is completed by noon. 

Delivery is made five days of the week. Referrals come from hospital social workers, the county Office of Older Adults and word of mouth. The challenge is that the number of people needing meals increase constantly which necessitates the ongoing search for additional volunteers.  If you can help or would like further information, please call 610-275-1960 for the Norristown area, 215-619-8863 for Ambler and 215-885-7650 for Glenside.