Every year, the team at Valify takes a day away from the office to give back to our community. We believe in serving others, especially those most vulnerable. This year we had the privilege of volunteering with Meals on Wheels in Collin County.
Meals on wheels has been serving area seniors since 1976. The goal of the organization is “to assist area seniors in remaining independent in their homes, to promote socialization, and to prevent premature institutionalization” (https://mowcc.com/). “Their mission is to combat hunger and isolation in disabled and older adults by providing nutritious meals, enabling them to remain healthy and independent within their families, homes, and communities.”
Upon arriving at the Meals on Wheels location, we received a tour and some education about the program. Then, the Valify crew put on hair nets and gloves and got to work! Breaking up into small groups, we were able to contribute to every step of the process including: food sorting, meal packaging, meal prep, transport prep, and delivery.
One team of four ladled delicious-looking rosemary braised white beans, butter peas, and chicken fried steak with gravy into trays to be sealed and carted into the transport prep room. Another team bagged up breakfast items and prepared them for delivery. Another group flexed their cooking skills and mixed ingredients to make a seasonal soup and bean sides. Last but surely not least, we had a group cleaning, mopping, vacuuming, and discarding expired produce.
Every step is an essential part of the process to ensure the daily, timely, and fresh delivery of nourishing meals to area seniors.
After the meal prep, packaging, and sorting had been done, groups of 2-3 each took a printed delivery route, one cold bag, and one hot bag, and we hit the road! The meals are delivered fresh, we were amazed at the quantity the organization is able to deliver on a daily basis without the quality of the meals suffering. (The meals were still warm as we delivered them!)
The commitment to speed, quality, and efficiency at Meals on Wheels in Collin County has allowed them to exceed their meal goals for this year: their original goal was 280,000 meals delivered, but they’ve surpassed that already this year with a grand total of 289,000 meals delivered and counting!
This Meals on Wheels location has a small, dedicated team of experts on staff and is largely supported by their network of over 1,000 annual volunteers.
To organize your own volunteer day as an individual, a family, or a work family, contact Tangala Brown, Meals on Wheels Collin County at 972.632.3117.
