Not only is Meals on Wheels San Antonio a wonderful and necessary organization providing an irreplaceable service – it’s also the perfect volunteer opportunity for families of all ages and stages.
Just think about it: your teen can get their driving hours in for their license, your middle schooler can practice engaging with people in real-life, your chatty elementary school kiddo has a fresh audience to perform to, and your toddler or infant that will only sleep in the car? We just found you the perfect napping opportunity.
So, why not do a service for your community while baby snoozes in the backseat, or your teen practices their road skills? Learn more about Meals on Wheels San Antonio and the services and volunteer opportunities they provide below:
For those who don’t know, what does Meals on Wheels San Antonio do?
What most people do know is that Meals on Wheels delivers nourishing meals, friendly visits, and safety checks to our older and disabled neighbors across San Antonio, Bexar County, and South Central Texas.
Even if you do know that much, what you might not know is that Meals on Wheels was established in San Antonio in 1977 – so we are celebrating our 45th anniversary thanks to continued community support! You also might not be aware that we provide the following to support older and disabled adults aging in place:
- AniMeals – Supplemental pet food delivery
- Friendly Visitor – Senior friendship
- Comfy Casas – Home safety
- Alzheimer’s Services – adult activity centers, caregiver education, support groups, and respite
We heard Meals on Wheels San Antonio recently moved to a new building, can you tell us about it?
Meals on Wheels San Antonio said adios to our home of 25 years at Babcock and 410, and hola to our new building at Nacogdoches and Danbury, just north of 410. This 44,000 sq. ft. facility was purpose built for the services we provide. The main focal point is the state-of-the-art H-E-B kitchen, which is easily capable of producing 30,000 delicious meals a day. There’s also a space dedicated to training volunteers, and an environment designed specifically for those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia at the almost-open Grace Place Alzheimer’s Center. That means everyone working at Meals on Wheels gets to be under one roof, which is great!
Are things back to the way they were before the pandemic?
Lots of things are the way they were before the pandemic because the pandemic didn’t stop us from doing what we are here to do – delivering nourishing meals to our older and disabled neighbors in need. However, everything isn’t exactly back to how it was.
We are still re-opening pick-up points for volunteer routes across the city. Currently, we have nine open and are looking to establish 1 or 2 more before the summer is over.
It is still a challenge to get hot meals to all of our clients because, like many nonprofits, we don’t have as many regular volunteers as we had before. Some of this is because individuals may have reprioritized things in their lives, but the bigger issue is that we just aren’t seeing the same participation from businesses, community organizations, and church groups as before. So many of these groups also experienced disruption during the pandemic, and are still getting back to whatever normal looks like for them too.
Is it easy to volunteer as a family, and can my child join me on deliveries?
Our seniors love seeing families deliver together! We just need an application and background check for volunteer drivers. If your child is working to earn volunteer hours for school, they can earn them by delivering meals with you!
Here’s our volunteer opportunities:
- Meal Delivery: This is our highest volunteer need and one of the most impactful ways to serve your neighbors! Routes are delivered on weekdays around lunchtime, take about an hour to complete, and are located around the city.
- Friendly Visitor: You can help provide social connections for our seniors beyond meal delivery! This volunteer opportunity takes place at any time that works for you and the client, and can be in person or over the phone.
- AniMeals: Deliver pet food to the furry companions of our seniors! This takes place in the third week of the month: simply pick up your delivery route and food from our headquarters the week leading up to delivery.
- Group Opportunities:
Your organization, church, office, scout group, etc. can get a taste of Meal Delivery, before deciding if they want to regularly commit to volunteering. This is a one-time delivery event in your preferred area of San Antonio – once you’ve delivered more than a meal, we know you’ll want to deliver again!
If your group wants to stay in one place and help our seniors be prepared for the future, then a Shelf-Stable Packing Party might be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! You help us assemble small boxes with nutritious pantry items, so we can provide clients with shelf-stable meals for times when they’ll need them most.
What if I know someone who I think needs meals?
If you know someone who is isolated, cannot drive, and is unable to prepare their own meals, you can refer them by calling 210-735-5115 and asking to speak to someone in our Client Services department. We review every referral on an individual basis.
Meals are provided free of charge to all recipients, but we do ask for financial contributions from those who are able to give what they can. These contributions help cover the cost of meals for everyone who receives them, and ensure we are able to serve every person who needs a meal.
We aren’t able to volunteer, is there another way to help?
If you are not able to volunteer, then you can still make it possible for seniors to receive meals by making a financial gift online or over the phone (210-735-5115). Every meal delivered by a staff delivery driver costs approximately $7. That covers literally everything you could imagine going into a freshly prepared meal, straight from our kitchen and delivered to someone’s front door. When people volunteer the cost of delivery is reduced, which makes it possible for us to invest even more in the food we serve – because if it’s not delicious, people won’t eat it!
Let’s be honest, no one knows that better than parents!
