Back in 2005, I was approached by the retiring County Assessor for our county, and asked if I would take over his Meals-on-Wheels commitment to deliver meals to house-bound seniors, in Riverside. My wife, Barbara, and I agreed that we would take on this responsibility and, 14 years later, we are still delivering meals. Over the years, I have also served as a member of the Board of Directors and, just recently, completed a 3-year stint as President of Riverside Meals-on-Wheels, Inc.
Our local organization serves approximately 150 meals daily (Monday through Friday) with volunteers covering 14 routes. Unlike many Meals-on-Wheels, and other nutritional programs for seniors, Riverside Meals-on-Wheels does not receive any governmental funding or assistance. Although our meal recipients pay the cost of the meals (which are prepared by the local school district), all the costs of maintaining the organization, i.e., “overhead”, must come from fund raisers, grants, donations (including in-kind donations) and the occasional bequest from a deceased patron. And none of this takes into account the day-in and day-out efforts of our volunteers who get the meals delivered, without fail. More than 200 people make up the volunteer force of Riverside Meals-on-Wheels.
I consider it vitally important for me as an estate planning and elder law attorney to foster and support the social capital of the communities in which I live and practice law. In addition to being part of the “feet on the ground” that gets the job done, I am called upon to provide intangibles of professional expertise, leadership, crisis management skills, sound judgment and, occasionally, a boost in morale. There are almost endless opportunities for service in any community. Get Involved!
For more information click on Riverside Meals-on-Wheels.