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Food For Thought
Manchester Chapter Of Meals On Wheels Asks Residents To Consider Volunteering
By Kim Fink
 | | --Photo By Kim Fink Mary and Jules Pomaro of Manchester volunteer their time at the Ridgeway Firehouse each morning helping prepare the meals for Meals On Wheels. |
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Imagine for a moment you woke up this morning hungry. Not your typical morning belly rumble, but truly, painfully hungry. You struggle to work up the strength to get to the kitchen only to discover the refrigerator is empty. You want to go to the supermarket but you have no way of getting there. Even if you could, you wouldn't know what to buy because you can no longer cook for yourself. You can't ask for help because there's no one else in the house. You live alone.
What would you do?
Unfortunately, that's the plight of many senior citizens throughout Ocean County.
But thankfully, there is an organization dedicated to helping these individuals get the nutrition they need to improve their quality of life. Meals On Wheels is a charitable organization that delivers hot meals to those seniors in need so they won't go hungry.
"There are 400 recipients of meals in Ocean County alone," said Norman Rosenberg, Manchester resident and long time volunteer for Meals On Wheels.
The program is terrific for those in need. I have been volunteering for over 20 years in Leisure Village. We could always use more people to help out."
Manchester's branch of Meals On Wheels is actively seeking new volunteers to bring meals to home bound seniors. Participants would be responsible for picking up the hot meals, cooked and assembled at Ridgeway Fire Company on Ridgeway Road, and delivering them by early afternoon.
"People generally come at their leisure. We don't insist that they are here by 10 a.m., anytime before 11 a.m. is fine as long as they get the meals to the people while they are still warm and in a reasonable amount of time," said Joanne Watson, manager of the Manchester chapter. "Each volunteer is given seven to 10 homes to deliver to. We make about 50 meals a day for Leisure Village, Leisure Knoll and Cedar Glen. Most volunteers only work one day a week, it's not necessary for people to commit to a whole week."
The once a day meal consists of a meat or fish dish, one vegetable, one potato, ½ pint of juice, ½ pint of milk, two pieces of bread and a dessert. The cost of the meal is $1.50 a day but no seniors are turned away if they cannot pay. Eligibility for the program is determined by Senior Outreach in Manchester.
Watson elaborated by adding, "Criteria for enrollment is the inability to cook for themselves. Eligible seniors who have transportation can come to the firehouse and receive a hot meal any day between 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m."
"We look for new volunteers all the time because peoples' circumstances change and they have to leave the program sometimes. We would love to get some area young people involved. It doesn't take much time and it's very rewarding. Some seniors don't talk or see anyone all day. So that Meals On Wheels delivery is a joy for them everyday," said Rosenberg.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Norman Rosenberg at 732-657-5222.
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