Roberta Garcia, of Buchanan, is a longtime volunteer for Niles-Buchanan Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that uses volunteer drivers to deliver food to people unable to prepare their own meals. It serves the Niles and Buchanan areas. For more information, call (269) 687-1462.

Q: What do you do for Niles-Buchanan Meals on Wheels?

Currently I am serving on the board, but I was president for at least 10 years I think. I just gave it up recently.

Q: What does the board do?

They operate the whole program. They are in charge of everything. We have a facilitator we pay for who runs the operation, but we oversee all of it.

I also deliver meals and have delivered for 20 some years.

Q: How did you get involved?

I have a good friend who was on the board. When she left to work full time she asked me if I would be available. I had friends who delivered for a long time so I was acquainted with the program.

Q: How long have you volunteered?

Probably 22 years.

Q: What does the program offer?

Basically volunteers deliver the meals, sometimes once a month or weekly depending on what they want to do. We make sure they get their meal and there is a regular schedule of course. We check on the patients and make sure they are OK and that they don’t need outside help. Basically that is what the volunteers do.

Q: Who does the program serve?

Anybody who has a need for meals. It doesn’t have to be senior citizen. It can be a person who had surgery and during their recuperation time they can’t fix meals. We deliver them to them. It could be a diabetic who just wants to start out having proper meals and see how to fix them. And, of course, the elderly who are unable or unwilling to fix their own meals. We serve anybody who has a need.

Q: How many people are served through the program?

Right now we have 30 meals a day. They get two meals: a hot meal at noon and like a sack lunch for their supper.

Q: Why do you volunteer there?

I think it is important to be active in your community helping people. To help people is very meaningful to me. I probably get more out of doing it than the people who receive it do.

 

Do you know a volunteer worthy of recognition? Nominate him or her by calling Craig Haupert, community editor, at (269) 687-7720, or emailing him at craig.haupert@leaderpub.com