Community Hospital began supporting the McCook Heritage Senior Center’s Home Delivered Meal Program in November by supplying two volunteers to deliver the meals every Thursday.

The support was in response to Community Hospital Health Information Management employee, Gloria Cotton, who learned the program needed volunteers during the winter months when retired snow birds move south. She knew the value of the meals for those who are homebound, since her mother receives the meals daily.

Gloria’s idea to form a hospital team of volunteers to deliver meals one day a week was met with optimism by the hospital administration team. Because of their support, 8 volunteers and eleven substitutes—all Community Hospital employees—signed up to fill one route every Thursday. The employees are allowed to leave the hospital during work time to deliver, and are paid for their time. Actual delivery takes only about 30 minutes. The volunteers signed up in teams of two to allow one to drive and one to take meals into the homes. The teams rotate every week. Up to ten meals are delivered to select addresses. Time from the hospital to the McCook Heritage Senior Center to pick up the meals, deliver them and then drive back to the hospital, is only 45 minutes to one hour. To add to that support, Community Hospital employees may use a hospital car for the deliveries if one is available.

Community Hospital believes the senior center’s home delivered meal program is important because it delivers hot, nutritious meals to the homebound, elderly, and disabled in McCook. The program not only contributes to the overall well-being of seniors’ nutritional needs, but also gives them daily contact with a caring volunteer.

The volunteer’s role is far more important than the meals they deliver. They are often the only contact the customers have all day. Volunteers provide a warm smile and a caring attitude. They are a safety check to help ensure the customer’s well-being, and they are also the eyes and ears of the program to alert others to customers with additional needs.

For more information about the McCook Heritage Senior Center’s Home Delivered Meal Program, or to volunteer, contact Donna Blake at 308-345-6098.