of Columbia 2021 – Virtual Training Volunteer Handbook: For Drivers, Packers, & Office Help Delivering meals to senior residents of Columbia, Missouri for over 45 years. (573) 886-7554 800 Hospital Drive Columbia, MO 65201 mowheels@gmail.com www.mealsonwheelscolumbia.org MEALS ON WHEELS of Columbia 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS: James Heavin President Mark Mills Vice President Gail Metz Secretary Brian Dial Treasurer Ron Carter Jessie Guthrie Debra Harrington Ramona Knight-Harris Adam Kruse Gail Metz Amanda Reynolds Sally Robinson Kari Vogt Advisory Board: Kelly Mescher Ex Officio Members: Pam Solomon Welcome! This handbook was prepared to answer any questions you have as you begin volunteering for Meals on Wheels. You may want to carry it with you the first few times you deliver meals. If you have any questions not covered in this handbook, please feel free to ask. You, the volunteer, are a vital link in a high quality home-delivered meal system. Soon you will discover many of the clients look forward to your visit as much as they do to receiving the hot meal. As your JoNetta Weaver Executive Director 800 Hospital Drive Columbia, MO 65201 visit may be the only human contact the client has that Kelly Watts Office Manager have peace of mind knowing you are checking on the 573-886-7554 573-814-6363 FAX mowheels@gmail.com well-being of their loved one. On behalf of the Meals on www.mealsonwheelscolumbia.org A 501(c)(3) non-profit agency funded by client fees, local individuals/organizations, and the City of Columbia. day, relatives and concerned friends of the clients will Wheels Board of Directors and Staff, I thank you for expressing your commitment to help others by becoming a volunteer for Meals on Wheels. You make a difference! Jo Netta Weaver Executive Director Mission Meals on Wheels of Columbia is dedicated and passionate about providing hot, nutritious meals to those in need. History In 1972, Meals on Wheels of Columbia, Inc., was founded by six volunteers who recognized a community need for home delivered meals. The original Meals on Wheels site began operations on November 6, 1972, serving 14 clients. In 1977, the rapid growth of the program necessitated a move to Calvary Baptist Church, where over 150 meals were prepared each day. In 1981, the sack supper program was added to the services. In February 1996, a move was made to Advent Enterprises. Better kitchen facilities and the opportunity to serve Advent clients made this an attractive move. October 3, 1998 found us moving again. This time we moved to the Veterans Hospital at 800 Hospital Drive, our current location. The employees at the VA prepare the meals and we purchase the meals for our clients. We pay rent for our offices and parking spaces. The ability of Meals on wheels to successfully provide high quality services is based on three strengths: Dedicated Volunteers: Over 180 persons are listed as volunteers. It requires 95 drivers and packers each week to deliver the meals. Dedicated Staff: Two paid staff members work closely as a team to ensure a smooth running agency. Karen Watts, our Office Manager, started in 2018, while JoNetta Weaver became our Executive Director in October 2012. Dedicated Board of Directors: The 14 member volunteer board has 47 years of experience with the Meals on Wheels organization. Their professional knowledge supporting the program comes from areas such as nutrition, food service, banking, public relations, education, insurance, media, law, management, non-for-profit organizations, and social service. Agency Fact Sheet Services Offered: Home delivered, hot noon meal plus an optional cold supper are delivered by volunteer drivers Monday through Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Modified diets such as diabetic, low sodium, and mechanical are available. Short-term (three-day minimum) and long-term service is offered. Eligibility Live in the city of Columbia Eligibility is determined by: age, disability, recent hospitalization, or illness Financial Assistance is available based on the Federal Poverty Level and monthly gross income. Intake Procedure: Referrals are taken by phone and can be initiated by anyone: (e.g.: family, friends, health professionals, social service agencies, and even the prospective client). Service can generally begin the next day after the referral is received. An in-home visit is required within the first week of meals being delivered. Area Served: City of Columbia Hours: Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday (answering machine other times at 886-7554) Cost: Maximum is $5.25 per meal A sliding fee scale, based on client’s monthly income allows most (80%) clients to qualify for a reduced rate. Volunteers “It is a joy to be able to deliver Meals on Wheels. I consider the people I deliver to and the fellow drivers to be very fulfilling in my life.” –OJ “I may need meals one day and giving back is a way to share my blessings.” –JS “Such a pleasure to experience the smiles and thanks of the diverse clients receiving meals.” –GG Confidentiality: The clients that Meals on Wheels serves have the right to privacy and confidentiality, and their personal information should always be protected. Just like professionals, volunteers have a special obligation to maintain the confidentiality of information they might learn from a client and to protect that person’s privacy. The only time it is appropriate to break confidentiality is when: 1. A client is in danger or putting someone else in danger. 2. A client is being abused, neglected, or exploited. 3. A court of law orders disclosure. We understand that most volunteers will likely discuss their volunteer activities with friends, family, and coworkers. In these cases, maintaining the client’s confidentiality and privacy is as simple as not sharing the person’s name or details that would divulge the client’s identity. This would include not sharing information or pictures on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Criminal Background Checks: Meals on Wheels is committed to the safety of our organization, our clients and our volunteers from claims of abuse, allegations of wrong-doing, and other potential risks by taking the preventive measure of implementing a background screening policy. Volunteering is a selfless act of kindness and the objective of the criminal background check is not to be interpreted as a lack of trust in our volunteers, but is rather a precaution taken allowing MOW to use the resources available to protect all involved with our organization. Our policy is to screen individuals in all volunteer capacities for MOW. During training, each volunteer will complete the MOW Disclosure and receive a summary of rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. If a check is clear, volunteers can be fully stated into the program. If the check reveals negative results, the volunteer is notified by mail with third party name, address, and phone number for additional information. Volunteer Code of Conduct 1. Adhere to the Meals on Wheels volunteer handbook. 2. Be dependable for volunteer responsibilities. 3. No solicitation to buy or sell anything to clients or staff. Regular Routes and Substitutes If you have a regular route and need to be gone, please email mowheels@gmail.com with the dates you are gone. If you have a regular route and wake up sick on your route day, please call 886-7554 before 9:00 so we can get you a substitute driver. LOA - If you need to be absent more than 2 weeks due to illness, travel, job change, or family situation, please consider a Leave of Absence (LOA). Another driver will be assigned your route during your absence. If you are able to return after the situation changes, we will try to give you a route on a day you are available. Your regular route will be assigned to someone wishing to have a regular route. Drivers wishing to stay on the substitute list are sent an email on Thursdays asking for drivers for the next two weeks. You may volunteer to take a route dependent on your availability. Snow/Ice Conditions If severe snow/ice conditions necessitate the cancellation of meal delivery, announcements will be made by these radio and TV stations: KFRU Radio - 1400 AM KOMU TV - Channel 8 KMIZ TV - Channel 17 The announcement will say “Meals on Wheels of Columbia will not be delivering today”. The MOW website and Facebook will also indicate if we are not delivering meals. Blizzard Bags are collected by Rock Bridge Elementary School families and given to each client to have in the event we cannot deliver meals due to snow/ice. Bags contain for 2-3 meals. Holidays Meals on Wheels observes 8 holidays. There are no meals delivered: New Year’s Day January 1 Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Labor Day First Monday in September Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Day after Thanksgiving Friday following Christmas Eve December 24 Christmas Day December 25 Special Days: Wednesdays and Friday’s Wednesdays are Bread days. Please check the checklist to see how many loaves of white and wheat bread you are to deliver to your clients. The route sheet will tell you white or wheat. Some of our clients need frozen meals for the weekend, so Friday drivers may have additional meals to deliver. The route sheet will let you know if someone needs a frozen meal. Parking: Each volunteer will be given a yellow MOW sign that serves as a visual for the person at the door AND for your permission to park at the VA. Please always bring that yellow sign with you to show when you arrive. Income Tax Deduction for Mileage: If you itemize your federal tax return, the miles driven while delivering meals can be treated as a charitable contribution. Keep a record of all mileage incurred while driving your route, including the mileage driven between your home and the Meals on Wheels office. We will collect mileage once a year on each route and have it on file. Before You Deliver on Your Assigned Day 1. Please complete the background check paperwork and bring it with you on the first day you deliver. 2. Arrive at the back of the VA between 11:00-11:30 to pick up your cooler. 3. Show your yellow sign to the person at the back door so we get your cooler and hand it off at the back door. While You Deliver Meals 1. Keep the cooler as level as possible while transporting the meals. Please keep inside your vehicle. Trunks and pickup beds can get very hot or cold. 2. Leave meals in the carrier until you arrive at the client’s home to maintain proper meal temperatures. Wear you mask when delivering and use any of the COVID-19 supplies in the cooler. 3. When you arrive at the client’s home, due to COVID-19, we are placing food in the cooler on the porch and then knocking or ringing to let the client know their food has arrived. If the client want to see you and visit, please maintain social distancing and wear your mask to protect them and you. 4. Keep your eyes open and let us know of any concerns! Does the client appear ill or confused? Please write any notes you have for us on the route sheet. 5. Remember to use the THREE STRIKES YOU’RE OUT to determine when you need to call the office. (separate handout) If you have any concerns, call us 886-7554 from the clients’ home. After You Deliver Meals 1. Return to the VA and place the cooler with route sheet next to the back door for the packers to get and sanitize. Please leave any notes on the route sheet regarding your delivery. 3. We have an emergency contact for each client, so we can investigate the problems/concerns you relay to us. Our clients' welfare is important! 4. We strive to provide accurate, easy-to-follow directions to the client’s homes. We would appreciate knowing when any directions are incorrect or if road conditions necessitate a change (e.g. construction detours, missing street signs, the directions of “left/right” reversed, etc.) Your input may prevent the next driver from being lost. Important Tips to Remember When Working with Seniors 1. Address the senior with appropriate titles, such as Miss, Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr., until the senior tells you how they prefer to be addressed. 2. Walk and/or work with the senior at his/her pace. Match your pace to theirs with the understanding that older people may not be able to keep up with you. 3. Speak loud enough to be heard and directly in front of the senior. Understanding that a person’s five senses deteriorate as they age or can be hard of hearing and require gestures or a written message. 4. Remember that you bring the outside world to a person who is homebound. Try to focus on the positive aspects of your world. When discussing current events, let the senior tell you what they see or hear on the radio or television. 5. Understand that seniors may be grieving a number of losses. Let them share their feelings about giving up driving, friends entering nursing homes or passing away, or their own changing health.
