On the Road with Motor Meals

Motor Meals delivers more than 400 meals per day to more than 200 Ann Arbor residents per year

Motor Meals volunteers Jean Dickinson and Betty Jo Kolb load their car with meals to deliver to Ann Arbor residents.

“Why I volunteer” is handwritten across a poster-sized Post-It note on the wall. Underneath the heading is a list of the various reasons Motor Meals volunteers come to work each day.

“Seeing the smiles,” one person writes.

“It’s fun and it’s the right thing to do,” “I can contribute to someone’s needs, which ultimately fulfills one of my own,” and “Helping others maintain independence as long as possible!” write others.

Since 1974, Motor Meals has been providing nutritious meals and conducting safety checks for Ann Arbor residents who are primarily older adults, or are disabled or unable to prepare complete nutritious meals on their own.

But for one volunteer, Jean Dickinson, who’s been delivering for Motor Meals since day one, it’s providing personal contact to residents that makes her feel good.

“I think people look forward to us coming,” she says. “Some people will ask us for a hug, and we bring them an opportunity to complain, provide an ear to talk to, in addition to the good food.”

What began with two routes and 17 volunteers 33 years ago has grown to more than 92 volunteers per week delivering 400 meals per day to more than 200 residents per year.

Prepared by Patient Food and Nutrition Services in the University Hospital kitchen, volunteers meet daily at the Motor Meals office to deliver meals to up to 13 residents.

Thomas Colvin, a two-year recipient who suffers from post-polio syndrome and needs constant oxygen, is very appreciative of their services.

“The food is excellent! If I didn’t have help like this, I wouldn’t be alive,” he says.

You can help those in need—become a Motor Meals volunteer!

• WHO: Volunteers, ages 18 and older
• WHAT: Deliver 10-13 hot and cold meals per day, 1-2 hours per day.
• WHEN: Volunteer as many days as you like. Volunteers pick up meals at 11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday and at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays.
• WHY: A Motor Meals volunteer may be the only person a client sees all day, and provides the primary food source for many of the clients.
• HOW: Contact Motor Meals: 734-998-6686 or e-mail.

Learn about other volunteer opportunities in your community.

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Comments

"Since I came to the NCAC building 3 years ago I have been collecting "pennies from heaven". Each year from Jan. to Dec. I keep an empty coffee can at my desk and people drop their loose change into it. Sometimes I send out reminder e-mails; like springtime when people go outside and clean their cars and find loose change in the seats or under their car mats to bring it in for the coffee can. In December I take the change have it counted out (My bank does it for free) and I make a check out to Motor Meals on Wheels. The first year I did this the donations was $435.00. My goal is to continue this on and ask other areas to do the same." - Katie Thompson, administrative assistant for Ambulatory Care Educational Services