Whew! I can’t even describe how much is happening at our place as we implement new protocols, plan for increased service, hire new employees, and just continue with the day-to-day operation of our program. A few bits of info I’d like to share:
- We have set May 2nd as our very tentative date to re-open our Senior Dining Centers. I hesitate to even mention the date because the last time we made plans to reopen, we had to nearly immediately abandon all plans when the Omicron variant swept through our community. However, we are so excited about the possibility of eat-in dining that I just had to share! We’re all keeping our fingers, toes, and eyeballs crossed for good luck!
- We have updated our home delivery policy to allow our drivers to bring meals directly into homes if clients wish them to do so. For now, drivers will continue to wear masks to offer additional protection for our community. We know that we not only serve a vulnerable population, but many of our staff and volunteers are vulnerable themselves or are caregivers to folks in compromised health. Some of our volunteer drivers may not feel comfortable entering homes, and we certainly aren’t requiring that they enter. Protocols will continue to change in response to changing COVID conditions.
- Our kitchen staff has been hard at work developing a vegetarian menu. As we begin, the vegetarian program will be fairly limited in scope but may expand if participation is high. Please call our office if you would like to try the vegetarian meals.
- We’re trying something new right before Easter. We’ll serve a ham dinner on Thursday, April 13th. And just for fun, our Meals on Wheels admin team will help kitchen staff by making about 1,200 deviled eggs for the meal!
- Our parent company, Senior Life Resources, has officially completed the final building on our campus. Our Admin Services team, which includes Finance and Human Resources, is busy moving into their new offices. Their move provides much-needed storage at our current building.
- On a personal note, I have announced my retirement date in February of 2023. I wanted to provide as much notice as possible to allow plenty of time to find exactly the right person for the job and to provide many months of training and orientation. We’ve already begun the recruitment process and will offer more updates as they develop. Although I will be sad to leave this wonderful team, I will also be grateful to have more time to spend with my family, including my own mother and in-laws.
As a final and most important note, I want to mention that April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. I don’t know what we would do without our wonderful volunteers. They help with all facets of our program, including prepping, packaging, delivering, & serving meals, helping with administrative tasks, phoning our homebound clients, and so much more! We encourage all of our clients and community to say a friendly thank-you to the Meals on Wheels volunteers in their lives.
Happy Spring!
