TLC Meals on Wheels Stories and Testimonials

Helping Disabled Pet Owners

Recently, we established a program to assist disabled pet owners with their veterinary expenses—whether preventative or remedial. One of our clients has requested such assistance for her 13-year-old dog, who, she says, once drove off someone who was assaulting her.  She’s not the only client who has shed tears of gratitude when one of our drivers brings pet food and a toy for a dog or cat.  Pets add to an individual’s cost of living, but they add even more to their quality of life.  So we’re glad we can help lonely people keep a pet.

Meal Delivery is just a Starting Point

Last month, one of our volunteers discovered an elderly woman lying on the floor, unable to get up.  After calling for an ambulance, which took our client to a nearby hospital, the volunteer heard the paramedic say, “If you hadn’t been here, she would have died.”  The meal recipient was able to return home a few days later.  As we say, “Meal delivery is just the starting point.”

We Provide More Than A Meal

The other day a social worker came up to me with a story about a woman who, until recently, was one of our meal recipients.  The woman has dementia but was living alone and neglecting her health.  Eventually she was taken to a hospital, and now she lives in a group home, where she can receive the close supervision she requires.  She also participates in a day program for persons with developmental disabilities, one of our partners in delivering meals.  The social worker had tears in her eyes as she told me, “The only thing that kept this woman from dying before she went to the hospital was the food your program provided and the daily check-up by your volunteers.  Today she’s alive and even feisty!”

The out-of-town son of a client who recently passed away said, “I owe you guys a huge, huge, huge debt of gratitude. You made such a difference in my life. Please let everybody at TLC know how grateful I am for what you did for my father and the fact that you were there every day for him.” Preparing and delivering good lunches to persons who are homebound due to age, illness, or disability remains our top priority. Nutrition is very important, but “delivery” builds caring relationships.

“You saved my life!”

One of our clients has told us, several times, “You’ve saved my life!”  She is referring to her experience in losing her income at a time when she was having some serious health problems, including some understandable depression.  The daily balanced meal and friendly visit have meant so much to her.

Although our volunteers’ visits are brief, sometimes their presence is just what a meal recipient needs.  Recently two drivers who were delivering a meal to a woman found her on the verge of unconsciousness due to diabetes.  They made sure she ate some of the fruit they had brought so that she could wake up and assure them that she would be okay.  They called our office so we could follow up with her that afternoon.  The woman they helped called the next day to express her heartfelt appreciation for their involvement.