I have the best job ever. Not only do I get to work with a fantastic group of employees (as a manger I couldn't ask for a better group!) but I also get to make a difference every day.Last Thursday I had the opportunity to do what our volunteers to every day: deliver meals. This is one of my favorite aspects of my job. I love seeing the smiles on our clients' faces, knowing that for many of them, I may be the only person they see all day. From receiving the many heartfelt thanks of appreciation to a big hug by one client, I couldn't help but have a smile on my face the rest of the day.
Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels recently changed its name from Motor Meals of Ann Arbor. Why the change? We want to be more accessible to the homebound community who need our delicious and nutritiously balanced meals, to volunteers who have the interest and time to deliver and to donors who have the heart and means to give.
One of the problems we had with the Motor Meals name was the constant need to explain what we did. While a great conversation starter, it did little when we didn’t have direct communication with potential customers. In talking about what we did, we often said “it’s like Meals on Wheels”.
Meals on Wheels programs throughout the U.S. and the world are as diverse as the programs where they are located. From volunteer drivers to paid drivers - from catered meals to in-house kitchens - to serving only seniors to persons of all ages and everything in between there is no one "look" of a Meals on Wheels program. The one commonality is our commitment to meeting the nutritional needs of the homebound in each of our communities.
Our new graphic identity was developed by Raquel Weber, a junior designer at the marketing firm re:group, who donated their services to create our new identity. Thank you re:group!
We remain committed to meeting the nutritional needs of the homebound in the Ann Arbor area who are unable to shop and cook for themselves. We continue to rely on our 400+ volunteers to deliver our meals and briefly socialize with our clients. As one board member commented, changing our name doesn’t erase our history, it’s just another chapter.
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2 comments:
Saw the announcement on the Ann Arbor Chronicle - good to see you online.
Do you have any people delivering meals using the bus system for deliveries? That might be one way to get around the problem of high costs of gas.
Currently, using the bus system isn’t a viable option given the logistics of delivering meals - 10-13 meals and often as many stops, carrying two hard side and one soft side cooler and the limited places one could travel to without transferring buses.
Part of our continuous quality service is to explore options to make meal delivery more efficient, effective and affordable. Thanks for the suggestion!
Beth
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