Meals On Wheels:

Good Deals And Good Meals For The Housebound

By Nancy K. Crevier

The first meeting of Newtown Meals On Wheels was held in the old courtroom of Edmond Town Hall in 1969. Twenty people attended, inspired by the enthusiasm of the late Newtown resident Betty Parrella, a home economics teacher at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, who saw a need for a nonprofit, nongovernment funded organization to provide meals to the housebound.

Nancy Larin and Coke Cramer were there and signed up that day. They have been delivering Meals On Wheels to local residents in need ever since.

“We started with maybe three of four recipients,” recalled Ms Larin. “Social Services provided us with the names, and we were off.”

 “We never wanted it to be a welfare program,” said Ms Cramer. “It is for anybody who cannot get out for any reason and can’t prepare their own meals, and not just the elderly.” By separating the organization from any federal, state, or local funding, said Ms Cramer, Newtown Meals On Wheels is not restricted by government regulations, nor is it affected by budget cuts. This enables the organization to service people of all ages, for any reason they deem appropriate, for a short period of time or even over a period of years.

This is a particularly important point, said Marg Studley, who along with Pat Barrett serves as a co-president currently. “I don’t think that townspeople are aware that there are that many people unable to get meals for themselves in town, or that there are so many who live alone. This is not just a service for the elderly. We have delivered to people who have broken a leg, who have had surgery, or have had an accident. We can get a meal there if someone really needs it,” she said.

Newtown Meals On Wheels is an all-volunteer service, unlike the Meals On Wheels services in other communities that may provide a stipend to drivers. Newtown volunteers pay for their own gas and give of their own time, with no expectation of restitution in any way. “The volunteers are very loyal, and most stay with us for years,” said Ms Larin.

Newtown Meals On Wheels is funded completely through donations, endowments, and the support of other local organizations. Recipients are charged only $3 for each hot meal delivered, and that is only to cover the cost of the unprepared food, explained Ms Cramer. “Meals On Wheels pays for the food containers, the cost of preparation, and a portion of the cost of the raw foods. We never charge a recipient for delivery.”

According to treasurer Peg Forbell, who has been a member since 1976, the actual cost of each meal hovers around $5 this year. The organization also carries auto insurance for the drivers and liability insurance, at a yearly combined cost of $1,640. Despite costs that go up each year, Ms Forbell said that the group has never had to hold a fundraiser. “We receive payments from the Frank Knotts estate and from the Olga Knopke estate that are a big help,” she said, “and the Goodrich Helping Hands fund has donated $2,500 to us for the past three or four years.” Many other local businesses and organizations have contributed generously to the Newtown Meals On Wheels over its nearly 40-year history, she said.

Ms Studley emphasized that all of the money donated to Newtown Meals On Wheels is used strictly for recipients and Meals On Wheels expenses. “We do buy a small holiday gift for our clients each year, and for the kitchen staff at Ashlar as a little thank you for all that they do for us.”

The first meals were prepared by Buckingham Gardens, now known as Ashlar of Newtown, and cost the group $1 each. As the number of clients and volunteers grew, Newtown Meals On Wheels had the hot meals prepared by Fairfield Hills Hospital until the facility closed in the early 1990s. Coming full circle, meals are now prepared at Ashlar of Newtown each day, where they are picked up by the volunteer drivers and delivered within the hour to recipients.

Who Is Eligible?

Marilyn Alexander is another longtime member of Newtown Meals On Wheels and, along with Janet Hovious, is currently in charge of interviewing potential recipients. “Not everyone is eligible. If a person has someone who can go out and shop for them and prepare them meals, even if they are bedridden, they are probably not right for Meals On Wheels,” Ms Alexander said. “At the interview, we fill out a nutritional evaluation and ask if there are any dietary dislikes, as well.”

The kitchen at Ashlar is wonderfully accommodating, said Ms Alexander, especially considering the “fluidness” of the group’s needs. “We might need 16 meals every day one week, then only eight or ten the next, and they can do it.” Ashlar offers a variety of meals to suit an individual’s needs. Low-salt meals, diabetic meals, low-fat meals, or any particular likes and dislikes are accommodated with ease, said Ms Alexander. Meal recipients select from a menu delivered to them each week, providing them with a wide variety of choices.

The coordination of the schedule for the 120 volunteers is the responsibility of Colleen Honan, who has been with Newtown Meals On Wheels for 14 years. She is in charge of filling the schedule of drivers and training new drivers. “We deliver meals every day of the week except Saturday and Sunday, including holidays. The only time we don’t go out is when weather does not permit. We aren’t going to ask our drivers to risk injury,” said Ms Honan. If a delivery must be cancelled, each recipient is notified. “We try very hard to not ever cancel, though. People count on us,” she added.

As the driver trainer, she explains the program to newcomers and then takes them on their route and introduces them to the clients. The majority of the volunteers drive just once a month, and the whole routine takes only about one and a half hours from the time the meals are picked up at the Ashlar kitchen until the time that the thermal bags are returned there.

“People volunteer with us for a variety of reasons,” Ms Honan said. “The might want to be involved in the town somehow, or have a family member who has benefited from Meals On Wheels, or just want some good way to fill some time.” It is not a huge commitment, said Ms Honan, and the volunteers seem to enjoy it as much as the recipients.

Drivers are not required to do anything except deliver the meals, but most are happy to bring in the mail or newspaper and spend a few minutes chatting. Health care issues are for health care workers, though, she stressed.

Newtown Meals On Wheels is protective of its clients’ privacy, said Ms Cramer. Names are not passed on to any other agency or shared with others, unless a recipient is clearly in some kind of danger. Then, she said, Social Services might be notified.

“You become so attached to so many of the people you deliver to,” Ms Cramer said. “For some, this may be the only outside contact they have that day.”

A good number of Newtown Meals On Wheels volunteers are there because other family members or friends are part of the organization, and, oftentimes, children accompany a parent on the routes. “It’s one of the things that my kids grew up with,” said Ms Larin. “It’s an important service.”

Voicing the opinion of many members, Ms Alexander said, “I am blessed to be a part of Meals On Wheels. It is important to pay back.”

To become a Newtown Meals On Wheels volunteer, call 426-0714. For information about receiving Meals On Wheels service, call 426-6340 or 270-1960.

“We are here to help whoever needs help,” said Ms Studley.