Hello and welcome to our new website. Every once in a while it is important to do a refresh of how we present ourselves. It forces us to evaluate what we have been doing, who we are, and where we are intending to go. Part of that process has been a recent Strategic Planning with staff and board where we met for dinner and a retreat to discuss who Meals on Wheels has been to the community, who it is now, and who it should be for the future. This is difficult work, projecting into the future, but it is important work that will keep us as an excellent program for an excellent community.
The other reason that we have to do this kind of visioning for the future is that we are growing. The realities of an aging population are felt acutely in service providers such as ourselves. To be effective and have the kind of impact on our consumers that is necessary we will need to reflect the changing demographics in our community, the changing palettes, and the changing delivery needs. We are glad to do this work, in fact it excites us as staff; however, this work requires change and that is a challenge.
If you have been around us recently you will have noticed that our parking lot is fuller, our space is more occupied, and our kitchen seems busier. These observations are true. I’ve been looking into some historical numbers recently and hope to have a chart to share soon, but suffice it to say that in May 2016 we averaged 78 more clients per day than we did two years ago! That’s a good problem to have which will require necessary but good changes to a lot of what we do.
Thanks for continuing to support, volunteer, and donate to the future of Meals on Wheels for our community members.
Kevin Ressler
Executive Director
