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Issue 7 / Volume 5                             May 2019

WWW.MOWDIABLOREGION.ORG

  		 

Greetings:

Did you celebrate your mother last weekend?
Maybe you sent her a card. Maybe you called her or sent flowers. Maybe you cooked her favorite meal or brought her breakfast in bed?

At Meals on Wheels Diablo Region (MOWDR), we are delivering food to the homes of mothers every day. Many of these women have families who live far away and can’t check in on them as often as they would like. Or their spouses have passed on or need care themselves.

In a few days, you’ll receive a special Mother’s Day story from MOWDR, along with an urgent request for your financial support. Yep. We’ll be asking for money. We only do a mailed fundraising letter twice a year... but we deliver services every single day. Without fail.

Will you help us?

Thousands of elder mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends rely on MOWDR. Their wellbeing and often even their lives depend on MOWDR’s daily visits, fall prevention services, companionship, and care management.

You can make all the difference!

Keep your eyes on your mailbox and your email inbox for details on how you can be a hero to seniors in the Diablo Region.

...And if you’re lucky enough to be near your mother, give her another big hug. Because every day should be Mother’s Day!


Carrie Blanding

Interim Executive Director

 
 


Alamo Rotary – Decades of ‘Service Above Self’ to MOWDR Clients
MOWDR is fortunate to work with numerous partners in the community and has benefitted from these relationships for many years. Among our strongest supporters are our friends in Rotary groups throughout the county. Over the years, Rotarians have donated, volunteered as individuals and groups, acted in teams to help our senior clients perform basic household repairs, and some years ago collectively donated a delivery van!

Recently MOWDR staff was asked to present to the Alamo Rotary group. Knowing that this group has a team of rotating volunteers delivering meals each week in Walnut Creek, we asked our hosts about their volunteer experiences. While we knew their adopted route had been active for decades, we were surprised to find out they had been delivering meals for over 35 years!

Don Morton, a long-time Rotarian and the greeter during our presentation, shares, “Our Rotary believes in service above self and we are always looking for ways to help. It started around 1981 or '82 with the club president at that time, and we just kept volunteering.”

Don and his fellow Rotarian volunteers shared stories of inspiring clients met over the years, impactful experiences when they recognized the importance of the service they were providing, and heartwarming interactions with seniors in need. “People who receive the meals greatly appreciate it - we may be the only person they see. You just feel welcome.”

When the lunch presentation was over, Alamo Rotary members presented MOWDR staff with a very generous donation of $500 – a contribution, like all of their others, that is very much appreciated.

In addition to Alamo, Rotarian groups from Antioch, Orinda, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek are actively volunteering to deliver meals in their cities. Their commitment to 'service above self' supports the work MOWDR does to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and we can never say thank you enough.

To learn more about becoming a Meals on Wheels volunteer, as an individual or a group, please contact Lee Davenport, Volunteer Development Associate, at 925.954.8736 or ldavenport@mowdr.org. 
 

Habit of Giving - Shred-It and Forget It Day Benefits MOWDR

Nancy Bennett of Keller Williams Realty is one of the leading realtors in Concord. She enjoys giving back to the community and helping nonprofits do the work they do. Whether she is organizing a Volunteer Day or a Fundraising Day, she wants to make sure that it is fun for everyone involved.

Over the years, Nancy’s real estate clients who were selling their homes or moving into new homes shared their need to organize their old papers before a move.

“After all, how many of us need to carry around 10 years of tax returns? That is not the kind of paper that you want in your curbside recycling bin,” Nancy explained.

This need gave Nancy the idea to organize a Shred-It and Forget It Day. She rented a shredding truck and invited people to bring any papers they wanted to shred. It was a free event with the option to donate to Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. “Some people threw a couple of dollars in our basket and others wrote checks".

From a big pile of unwanted paper, Nancy and others collected over $900 for seniors. Now that's what we call a win-win! Through this one event, seniors in-need will receive vital services, peoples' homes are less cluttered, and there's a little less waste in our landfills.

If you would like to learn more about how you can support seniors by donating to MOWDR, please visit our website or contact Erica Marcus at emarcus@mowdr.org or 925.937.8315. 
 

Actively Supporting Seniors for an Astounding 18 Years
At Meals on Wheels Diablo Region, we believe that every senior should have a fully nourished life where health, wellbeing and quality of life can be sustained and even flourish. Volunteers like Connie and Al Amador give selflessly to help ensure that our mission is carried out. This amazing couple delivered meals to in-need seniors as part of the Meals on Wheels program for 18 years! They cherish the connections made and hold the many memories dear, and proudly state that their lives have been made richer for the experience.
Read their story here.
 

It's Time Once Again to Celebrate You!
We're holding our annual volunteer lunch on Thursday, June 27. Invitations are going out soon so be sure to check your mail box and mark your calendar to join us.
 

Keeping Seniors
Top-of-Mind on Capitol Hill
The Older Americans Act (OAA) reauthorization process is in full swing, and we're continuing our advocacy to keep this a priority and ensure the needs of the senior nutrition network are represented. Key Committees in both the House and the Senate have been actively seeking input on the impact of the Act and potential ways to strengthen this critical legislation. Read more about it here.

Send a message to your congressman by clicking the button below. The process is quick and easy, and your voice can make a difference!
 


 
Attention All MOWDR Volunteers!
The California Department of Aging (CDA) is requiring that all of our employees, volunteers, and independent contractors complete their Privacy and Information Security Awareness Training every year.

In our daily work with seniors we come into contact with sensitive information that must be regarded with the highest level of security  to protect their privacy. The objective of this training is to:

  • Understand information security responsibilities.
  • Become familiar with the requirements of federal HIPPA regulations, state privacy laws and CDA policies and procedures.
  • Integrate security practices into daily work.
  • Take responsibility for complying with CDA information security policies and procedures.

The training is offered online and may be accessed through the link below. It takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete. Please note that the training should be completed by June 30, 2019. Please send the printed completion form to:

Meals on Wheels Diablo Region
1300 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
 

See what Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has been up to this past month in our photo gallery! Click here to enjoy our photos.

Welcome to the Meals on Wheels Diablo Region family of volunteers! Click Here to see the list of our newest volunteers.

Check out upcoming Meals on Wheels Diablo Region and other community events coming near you! Click here to learn more.

A special thank you to the generous donors who have given in tribute or in memory of their loved ones. Click here to see the list.

Read recent articles featuring Meals on Wheels Diablo Region in the community.

Discover alternative ways to stay active, healthy, and happy in our "Artful Aging" blog. Be sure to also check out the May schedule for our Health & Wellness activities.