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About the Meals
Sample Monthly Menu
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History of Essex Meals On Wheels
Staff & Board
Volunteer Luncheon
Contact Information
Champlain Valley Agency on Aging
United Way
Call the CVAA Senior Help Line to order Meals
1-800-642-5119
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Essex Meals on Wheels was
established in September 1973. At that time, it was recognized
that there were elderly people, disabled people, and
convalescents in the Essex area who were having difficulty
preparing daily meals. In some cases, financial pressures
compounded their situations making it increasingly difficult for
these people to maintain their independence. Our purpose
is to deliver hot nutritious meals to such people, at their
homes, to help them in maintaining their independence. Our
secondary purpose is to provide daily social contact for the
meal recipients, as many of these people are relatively isolated
from the community. Frequent comments from relatives and friends
of our meal recipients have assured us of the importance of the
brief visit of the drivers. It is reassuring for them to know
that someone is checking on their elderly relatives and
neighbors when they are unable to do so.
In 1973, a telephone survey was conducted for residents over 65 in the Essex area. In response to the needs identified by the survey, we began meals on a trial basis to the residents of Essex Junction, Essex Center, and Williston. In 1976,
Reverend Gerald Strek of Jericho requested meal service for Jericho-Underhill areas and he worked through five churches in that area to obtain volunteer drivers. We began to serve people in Colchester in 1976 and service expanded to Williston in 1980 with the assistance of the Williston Women's Club who organized drivers. In November of 1997 we expanded to the Whitcomb Woods Senior Housing in Essex Junction when their kitchen closed Informing the general community of the availability of Meals on Wheels service has been a continuous concern of our organization. Along with flyers and poster distribution and newspaper articles, we hold an annual event at all our local churches each spring that we call "Coffee Break". (This has not been continued for quite some time.) Our Board members provided coffee and cakes for
church members and informally explained our service. The response and support from our local communities is heartwarming. All of our drivers and some of the kitchen assistants are local volunteers. Area residents frequently plant an extra row in their gardens to provide us with fresh produce and financial contributions have been very generous..
St. James Episcopal Church has from the beginning donated space for our use including all utilities. Our only expense outside of food and payroll was replacement of major
appliances as needed.
Some of our recipients were recommended to our program through Champlain Valley Area on Aging and in the late 1980's we went into partnership with them.
We have grown from 25 to approximately 100. We moved upstairs to a new kitchen as of St. James plan to include us in their expansion project in 2003. We did donate some money towards this project.
We became a member of United Way Agency in the 1980's. We started fundraising at the request of United Way to supplement our finances. This is done with mailings once a year by rotating each year among our recipient's communities.
Some of our functions offered by the Board Members and kitchen staff are as follows:
For several years we had a Thanksgiving Dinner for the recipients who were able to attend with the help of our drivers. This was very much appreciated and enjoyed by all. This was discontinued as fewer and fewer were able to attend each year. At these dinners we had the help of high school boys and girls to serve and clean up as part of their community service project.
Starting in the
1970's, each spring we honor and thank our dedicated volunteer drivers and kitchen helpers with an appreciation luncheon. The Board Members provided all salads, cake, coffee, and punch, with the kitchen staff furnishing the rolls and the fillings for sandwiches. |
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