Members of the Young Men's Service League of Greenwich packed meal deliveries and wrote handwritten notes for homebound seniors through a volunteer partnership with Meals-on-Wheels, Inc. of Greenwich.
The students sorted meals for delivery routes, making sure volunteer drivers had the correct food for each client and could leave on schedule, the Greenwich Sentinel reported. The volunteers also tucked personal notes into supplemental bread and fruit bags, offering encouragement to recipients who may otherwise have little social contact during the day.
More service days are planned, though specific dates have not been announced.
What YMSL does
The Young Men's Service League describes itself on its Facebook page as a program pairing mothers and their high school-aged sons in community service projects. The Greenwich chapter is one of many nationwide affiliates.
The Meals-on-Wheels partnership gave students a hands-on look at the logistics behind feeding vulnerable neighbors. Drivers depend on accurate packing to stay on schedule, and the students handled that prep work so deliveries could go out on time.
A Greenwich lifeline since 1960
Meals-on-Wheels, Inc. of Greenwich has operated since 1960, delivering lunch and dinner every weekday to seniors and homebound individuals who cannot shop or cook for themselves. The service costs $10 per day and includes therapeutic dietary options at no extra charge, according to the organization's website.
There are no age or income restrictions and no medical referral required to receive meals.
More than 10,800 Greenwich residents are 65 or older, about 22% of the community, according to figures the organization cites on its website. The organization says food insecurity and social isolation are growing concerns for older adults locally.
In coverage published in October, high school student Sophie Woodbridge, who volunteered with Meals-on-Wheels over the summer, told the Greenwich Sentinel, "My favorite part is knowing that the work we do genuinely matters."
Woodbridge spent time delivering meals and working on behind-the-scenes projects, including expanding the nonprofit's donor database, the Sentinel reported.
How to get involved
Residents interested in volunteering or signing up for meal delivery can call Meals-on-Wheels, Inc. of Greenwich at 203-869-1312 or visit mealsonwheelsofgreenwich.org.
