Photo: Schubert Centre

Meals on Wheels chef

Meals on Wheels needs help getting its food to the door.

Vernon's Meals on Wheels program needs more drivers to meet demand.

The organization drops off meals to anyone who has difficulty purchasing or preparing meals, most often seniors.

"Meals on Wheels' program has a driver and a runner," says Diane Weaver, acting manager of Vernon's Schubert Centre, which runs the program.

"And so there's two people for each home that they go to, the driver drives around, of course, and the runner delivers the meal."

Weaver says at least three drivers are needed.

Anyone interested in volunteering can reach out by calling the Schubert Centre at 250-549-4201.

Typically a volunteer shift takes less than an hour. The organization looking for people who can help one day a week, on either Monday, Wednesday or Friday.

Drivers would deliver up to 10 meals in a shift, depending on the route.

"From what I've heard the runners say ... sometimes they’re the only person that the senior or the disabled person will see during the week, and they get a chance to have a friendly, you know, hello, and a bit of a chat with them," says Weaver.

"And they also are able to check up on people and make sure that they're OK. You know, if nobody answers the door, then, you know, we go searching to find out why not."

All drivers need to start volunteering is a valid licence and a willingness to meet new people.

Weaver says the Schubert Centre will take both drivers and runners because they can always use a surplus of volunteers so meals can continue to be delivered if someone is away.