Volunteers are the backbone to many businesses with MHA Care blessed with some of the best as local volunteers assist with their Meals on Wheels program.
MHA Care are a non-for-profit organisation who have volunteer opportunities within their Foodshare program in Yarrawonga and Cobram, the MHA Care Op Shop in Yarrawonga and Meals on Wheels in Yarrawonga/Mulwala, Cobram/Barooga, Numurkah and Nathalia.
MHA Care Volunteer Coordinator Laura Chatfield said the Meals on Wheels program is a great way to give back to the community while assisting an elderly person to remain in their own home.
“We have multiple meal runs each day in every town, and about 350 volunteers with us in total now,” Ms Chatfield said.
“The meals are picked up from the local hospitals and are delivered around lunchtime with the average run to take about one and a half hours. You can do it by yourself or with a friend, all you need is a car and your license.
“You can sign up to do it every week, once a fortnight or even once a month. We also welcome volunteers that would just like to be on the emergency list and cover runs on short notice.
“By delivering Meals on Wheels we make sure our clients can stay in their own home for longer, it also gives them social connection and someone that checks on them every day. Most of our clients do not see anyone else all day and value the personal contact.
“As a community it is so important that we take care of the elderly and make sure the Meals on Wheel program continues, this will take the pressure of our residential care and it forms important connections that benefit the client’s mental health but also the volunteers.
“It feels good to do something for someone else and with just an hour a month you can make all the difference.”
Yarrawonga Meals on Wheels volunteer Michelle Mangan concurs with that sentiment saying that it is a valuable and rewarding experience being able to help the more vulnerable in the community by something as simple as dropping off a cooked meal.
“My daughter Jess and I love taking the meals to the recipients and do it Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when we are needed,” Ms Mangan said.
“We have been doing it for about six months and have loved every minute.
“I plan to continue doing it for a long time however as Jess is in Year 12, she is planning to go to uni next year but will still help out on weekends and during the uni break.
“My eldest daughter also volunteered at the op shop a few years ago as it’s a valuable thing to do.”
Yarrawonga resident Trevor Lewin is a receipient of the Meals on Wheels and enjoys the food he is provided and having a chat with the volunteers who bring him his three meals for the day.
“The meals are delicious. Today I had curry and vegetables, Yarrawonga Health do a great job of putting together the meals,” Mr Lewin said.
“It saves me a bit of time on my behalf wondering what to conjure up for the next meal.
“You can also save some of the meals up and add some of your own ingredients to vary the diet which I often do.
“Since I’ve had a fall it is very helpful. It’s a great service as I don’t have to go out and buy all the ingredients, cook it all and do it all myself.
“It’s good, it’s a handy service to have.”
Both Michelle and Jess deal with the more vulnerable in our community in their jobs at Denis Medical Clinic and Terry White Chemist which creates a connection between them and the recipients.
However people from all walks of life can volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels, as long as you have a license and the time.
“We actually saw an ad in the Chronicle about MHA Care looking for more volunteers and decided it was a great thing to be able to help the more vulnerable in our community,” Ms Mangan said.
“Both Jess and myself are familiar faces to a number of them as they come into both of our workplaces which makes it a nice full circle when we can check in with them while delivering a meal.
“The elderly people like seeing someone a bit younger and to have a bit of a chat with someone different.
“It is a very rewarding experience.”
So does Michelle believe more people should get involved?
“Absolutely! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend volunteering in general but especially for meals on wheels to anyone,” Ms Mangan said.
“You get as much back as you give.”
If you would like to know how you could help your community, please contact Laura Chatfield on 5742 1117.