Bay County seeks Meals on Wheels volunteers

Bay County mailed more than 160 letters to local churches and faith-based organizations asking for help in supporting some of the community’s most vulnerable residents by volunteering with the Bay County Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program.

Churches are encouraged to consider forming volunteer teams or adopting a delivery route. Sunday school classes, men’s and women’s ministries, senior ministries, youth groups and other outreach groups can rotate volunteers, allowing several people to share the commitment. A typical delivery route takes no more than about two hours.

Meals on Wheels provides meals to older and homebound residents who may have difficulty preparing food or leaving their homes. Just as importantly, volunteers provide personal interaction and an informal safety check for residents who may otherwise have little contact with others during the day.

“Throughout Bay County’s history, our faith community has always stepped forward when there was a need,” Bay County Commission Chairman Clair Pease said. “This is another opportunity to serve our neighbors in a very meaningful way. A church doesn’t have to take on a huge commitment. A Sunday school class, ministry or small group can adopt a route and share the responsibility. Even one volunteer willing to knock on a door can make a difference in someone’s life.”

Following Hurricane Michael in 2018, Bay County Transit stepped in to help keep Meals on Wheels operating by delivering meals to residents. While that assistance has ensured food continues to reach those who need it, county leaders and the Bay County Council on Aging hope increased volunteer participation can restore more of the personal connection that has traditionally been an important part of the program.

“Meals on Wheels has always been about more than delivering food,” Bay County Council on Aging Chief Executive Officer Joel Booth said. “For many of the people we serve, that volunteer may be one of the few people they see that day. The visit provides a meal, but it also provides companionship, reassurance and the knowledge that someone in their community cares about them. That human connection is a tremendous part of the value of this program.”

Pease said churches are uniquely positioned to help because service to others is already at the heart of many congregations’ missions.

“Our seniors have spent their lives building, serving and caring for this community,” Pease said. “Now we have an opportunity to be there for them. Whether a church can provide one volunteer or 20, every route covered means another group of neighbors receives both a meal and a connection to their community.”

Churches, faith-based organizations and individuals interested in volunteering or learning more about adopting a Meals on Wheels route should contact Joel Booth, chief executive officer of the Bay County Council on Aging, at 850-769-3468, ext. 103, or joel.booth@bccoa.net.

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