Q&A: Why Meals on Wheels Tulsa needs more volunteers

Q: What does a typical day look like for a Meals on Wheels volunteer?

A: Volunteers start by signing in and checking their assigned routes. They pick up insulated bags of hot and cold meals and load them into their cars. Then they deliver those meals directly to clients’ homes, many of whom are elderly or homebound.

“It takes about 400 volunteers each week to successfully execute meal delivery. Out of those, we have quite a few that go on vacation, call in sick, that sort of thing, so we also lean heavily on our substitute drivers that help us out on a one-time basis when needed,” Aubrey Wheland, Meal on Wheels Metro Tulsa Volunteer Services Manager, said. “That’s part of our greatest need right now, we have some normal shortages with the end of summer going on. A lot of people go on vacation, or their schedules are changing with school starting, and so we are leaning on our substitute drivers, and we need more substitute drivers to fill the gaps and make sure meals get delivered on a one-time basis when we are having shortages.”

Q: How many people rely on Meals on Wheels Tulsa?

A: Right now, the organization serves around 1,400 clients, delivering five to seven meals a week, depending on the client’s needs. Last year alone, they delivered more than 400,000 meals.

Q: Why is this more than just a meal delivery?

A: Volunteers do more than help feed the people who receive meals. It’s a chance for volunteers to check in on the health and well-being of the people they serve.

“If we are not there three times a week to check on folks, maybe that person lays on the floor, so we are there as a support system for our clients to make sure they are doing well and if they are not we have a care team behind here pick up the telephone, we have hospitals we can talk to, doctors we can talk to, if there’s something that’s going on, we can help facilitate not just food, but wellbeing,” Kevin Turner, volunteer, said.

Q: How has COVID-19 affected their operations?

A: During the pandemic, they went from delivering hot meals five days a week to dropping off frozen meals just once a week. They lost many volunteers and are still rebuilding.

To help, full-time staff are having to cover it instead of focusing on the other important work that needs to happen.

“We are a small staff anyway,” Wheland said. “We try to be very efficient with our workforce. We have several staff out today and throughout the week, filling in when we don’t have enough volunteers. We have to get people their meals, and we will make it happen no matter what, but it would be wonderful to have more volunteers help fill these gaps, so we are able to stay in the office and do what we need to do.”

Q: How can I help?

A: Wheland says just one hour a week can make a difference. Right now, they especially need 15 volunteers on Tuesdays to deliver meals in East and Northwest Tulsa.

Q: Want to volunteer?

Visit Meals on Wheels Tulsa’s website to get started.