Meals on Wheels: It’s more than just a meal
By Jethra E. Brand

Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis arranges for nutritious, kosher, meals five days a week, delivered to people who are homebound or have difficulty preparing meals.

The Meals on Wheels Program (MOW) is one of numerous critical services for seniors that JFCS offers through its L’Chaim Senior Services Program.

Not only does MOW help a senior in need, but it also helps reassure families that their loved one is receiving a daily meal and personal contact with the MOW driver. This greatly reduces a client’s isolation.

The five MOW drivers are JFCS staff and most have been delivering Meals on Wheels between 10 and 20 years. They are loyal, dedicated and extremely caring to the clients. Clients feel safe and comfortable with them. The drivers build enduring, meaningful relationships with clients. They are the eyes and ears of the program.

For instance, one client had been receiving MOWs for eight years. Recently she suffered a heart attack. In his spare time, the MOW driver  visited her in the hospital and at her assisted living facility once a week.

“I am blind and cannot cook for myself,” says one MOW client. “If it were not for your Meals on Wheels program I would sit down and starve.”

MOW is more than just a meal. It is an important factor in allowing seniors to live independently, one of their highest priorities, studies have shown.

“To me kosher Meals on Wheels means having a wonderful warm meal delivered by a marvelous friendly gentleman and I am so greatly appreciative,” says a client who has been with the program for five years.

Meals on Wheels is a collaboration between JFCS and Sholom Community Alliance. The meals are prepared in the kosher-certified Sholom Home West kitchen. Lunches are delivered between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily.

A typical meal consists of baked chicken (almost like bubbe makes!), baked potato, mixed vegetables, dessert and beverage.
Clients have their choice of which weekdays they would like meals delivered. Plus they have the option of receiving an extra meal on Friday for the weekend.

The program strives to provide meals that fit the dietary needs of clients. People who have diabetes, food allergies, low salt diets or require pureed food, etc. can be served by MOWs.

Clients must be at home to receive the meal. Meals cannot be left at the door or the front desk. If a client is not at home during a scheduled meal delivery, JFCS will take steps to follow up with the client to be sure he or she is safe.

For more information about MOW  contact Jethra Brand at 952-542-4821 or jbrand@jfcsmpls.org.

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Jethra E. Brand is In Home Services Supervisor at Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis.

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