The Better at Home program is looking for volunteer organizations to help deliver Meals on Wheels to seniors in the Smithers/Telkwa area.
Better at Home is a provincial program that helps seniors live in their own homes by providing simple non-medical support services delivered by local non-profit organizations and individuals.
The Better at Home program was established in the Smithers/Telkwa area for over 30 years, through the Smithers Community Services Association.
There are now over 50 participants in the program.
Meals on Wheels is a concept that has been adopted in many countries around the world.
The idea is to deliver warm meals to seniors at their own homes for a reasonable price. The Meals on Wheels program was established in Smithers in 2012.
READ MORE: Better at Home program helping seniors
Northern Health had been running the program with the help of many volunteers until the end of June, and in July, Better at Home took over the coordination of the food distribution of lunchtime meals that are delivered five times a week.
The meals are cooked locally and distributed by volunteers. Each month a different organization takes the responsibility of coordinating the distribution with the support of their own volunteers.
Several churches are involved in the delivery currently, but there are still a few months not covered by any organizations.
Any group, with a willingness to help in the community, can become involved as long as volunteers have a valid driver’s licence and a criminal record check, a requirement to volunteer with Smithers Community Services Association.
Better at Home can help with signing up volunteers and organizations.
It is up to the group to figure out how to get organized. Some groups decide to assign a person per day for the duration of the month, others assign a week to each volunteer.
What counts is to make sure people will get their meals delivered, when they expect them.
Participants in the program can receive a meal on the day of their choice, up to five days a week.
Whether you belong to a book club, a music band, or a sports club, your organization can get involved.
Contact Better at Home coordinator, Françoi Depey at (250) 847-9515 ext 2008.
deb.meissner@interior-news.com
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