Volunteering for Meals on Wheels is simple, flexible and incredibly rewarding. In just an hour, you can deliver up to 12 meals to your neighbors while giving them the important human connection that can sometimes be lost when we're not as mobile as we would hope to be. Meals on Wheels provides nutrition, dignity and the independence people need in order to live their lives in their homes for as long as possible.

George and his wife, Lois, are a shining example of how life can continue to flourish with the help of Meals on Wheels. This is their story.

"I’m not sure what 83 years old should feel like, but I know I’m one of the lucky ones. I was born and raised in North Minneapolis, and I enlisted with the Air Force in 1943 as a member of the 200th Air Force 9th Troop Carrier Squadron. Looking back, I wish I would have taken in the scenery of Guam more than I did, and my kids are still upset that I tossed out the letters I sent home to my wife, Lois.

Lois and I both receive Meals on Wheels through the CEAP Meals on Wheels Program. She’s in the late stages of Alzheimer’s and, with the help of Meals on Wheels, our neighbors, and family, I can still provide her the 24 hour care she needs. I know we would be broke if she goes into a nursing home. So, while it wears on me during the day, I’m thankful for the physical and mental help I get from receiving Meals on Wheels.

We started one year ago with just two meals a week, but after I suffered a slight stroke last October, my daughter-in-law helped us get meals five days a week. I woke up on a Sunday morning with an excruciating headache and the numbers on my nightstand clock were all blurry. After an MRI and some medications, I had my vision back within a few weeks. When I returned home, though, I realized I couldn’t make the healthy meals for us anymore.

My memory isn’t what it was before the stroke, and I have trouble remembering what to include in a meal so it’s balanced. I knew the frozen lasagnas I was microwaving for us just weren’t enough to keep us healthy. With Meals on Wheels, I know that each week day we will have at least one nutritious meal, and it’s a lucky added benefit that all the meals are so good!

When I retired from 3M after 35 years as a Design Engineer, I took some time to appreciate the blessings of having a family and good friends who live close by. I know this isn’t the case for everyone, so that’s why I spend time talking with and thanking the Meals on Wheels Volunteers who deliver our meals. If they’re coming to my house, then that must mean they are going to my neighbor’s house too. It’s such a wonderful service and it helps me worry about my health and my wife’s health a lot less than I used to."