The Meals on Wheels program provided by BASScare has been delivering hot meals, friendship and welfare checks to the Boroondara community for years. Now we need your help to keep it going strong.

Never has a new year been welcomed as fervently as 2021. After the turbulence of last year, many of us are looking forward to a fresh twelve months, a clean slate and brand new resolutions (that will hopefully last through February). Usually, all the things we promise to commit to as a new year dawns revolve around self-improvement; exercise, healthy eating, learning a language, and so on. After the isolation and loneliness that dominated 2020, however, there can be no better or more appropriate New Year’s resolution than volunteering.

Meals on Wheels volunteering strikes the right balance

Many of us harbour ambitions of doing some kind of volunteering one day in the future. Like most things low on the priority list, however, that ‘one day’ keeps getting pushed back and – for most people – never arrives at all. When it comes to volunteering, one of the stumbling blocks can be figuring out where to start or who to volunteer with; everyone’s time is valuable, and we want to make sure the contributions we’re making provide something worthwhile.

Being a Meals on Wheels volunteer with BASScare is the perfect introduction to the world of volunteering. It’s one of those rare activities that doesn’t require much time but provides an invaluable service for the clients – perfect for those who can only spare a couple of hours a week.

Not only that, but you’re helping out the local community – perhaps even a neighbour. The number of people who rely on the Meals on Wheels service will surprise you. Around 40% of older Australians suffer from malnourishment, and this inability to maintain a healthy and balanced diet independently is one of the biggest reasons why people move into residential aged care.

Having access to a quality Meals on Wheels service, like that offered by BASScare, gives many older Australians the chance to continue living in their own home and maintain a high level of independence.

Keep an eye on the community

Like the most worthwhile volunteering activities, Meals on Wheels serves more than one function. Considering many of our clients aren’t as spry as they once were, getting out and about and catching up with friends isn’t as easy or convenient as it once was. A visit from a Meals on Wheels volunteer is an invaluable dose of social interaction. Not only does it give a boost to their metal wellbeing, but it also gives the volunteer a chance to check in on their welfare.

If a volunteer senses that something is amiss, the meals don’t look like they’re being eaten, or the clients says they’re not feeling themselves, they can report their concerns to the staff at BASScare and we can get in touch with family or carers. It’s an essential check on our clients’ welfare that would not otherwise be performed.

Many of our Meals on Wheels drivers have been volunteering for long enough to establish strong friendships with the clients, and are often the best people to notice if something isn’t right.

Make volunteering a resolution that lasts

The only thing easier than making a resolution is breaking it. Learning a language is hard. Maintaining a fitness regime requires discipline. The great thing about volunteering is that the rewards are instantaneous. It simply makes you feel good.

Whether you just want to dip your toe in the world of volunteering to see if it’s for you, or you’ve found yourself with a couple of spare hours a week because you now work from home, being a Meals on Wheels driver is what you’re looking for. For two hours each week, you can deliver the dignity and comfort of a hot meal, drop in on a friend and make sure everything is okay. Once you start, it won’t be a resolution easily broken.

Get in touch!

If you’re interested in volunteering at BASScare, please complete this form and we will contact you.