Current Volunteers

The information on this page is for those who are already volunteering with Meals on Wheels Rowan.  You will find helpful hints, instructions, and procedures that will make volunteering to deliver meals a safe, productive and rewarding experience.  If you are interested in signing up to volunteer, please visit our Volunteer Opportunities page. 

Pick Up and Delivery

Meals should be picked up at your assigned meal site between 10:30 am and 11:00 am.  Volunteers should deliver in teams of two.

  • Please sign in on the Route Delivery Sheet when you arrive; print your name, the route you are delivering and your cell phone number.  Site Coordinators will prepare meal totes with your Route Sheets.  The Route Sheets contain the name of each participant on your route along with their address, phone number and directions to their home.  NOTE:  Changes occur daily on each route, so please look over the list of stops and instructions for the day.  Route sheets may contain names of participants that are not receiving a meal that day and "NO MEAL TODAY" will be printed in bold by that participant's name.  
     
  • Other instructions included on your Route Sheet are:
  1. Participant is receiving a Meat or Vegetable Substitute Meal
    (During this COVID-19 crisis, no substitute meals are available)
  2. Participant is receiving a Cut Meal or a Pureed Meal
  3. Participant is receiving a Newspaper
  • Each meal consists of two trays, a hot tray and a cold tray.  Hot and cold trays for your route are packed separately in insulated totes. Red totes hold the hot trays and blue totes hold the cold trays. 
  • If a participant on your route is receiving a Substitute Meal for that day, their hot and cold tray will have a bright ORANGE sticker on the top of each tray and will read either MEAT or VEGGIE.  These meals are different from the regular meal served to the rest of the participants for that day.
  • If a participant is receiving a Cut Meal for that day, their hot tray will have a BLUE sticker on the top saying CUT.  This means that the meat portion of the meal is cut up to be easier to eat.  The cold portion of their meal will be the same as that of all the other recipients on your route.
  • If a participant is receiving a Pureed Meal for that day, their hot tray will have a PURPLE sticker on the top saying PUREED.  This means both the hot and cold tray items will be pureed.
  • Volunteers should wear a Meals on Wheels Volunteer Badge.  
  • If you have any questions while delivering, please call our office number, 704-633-0352.  The office number is always listed in the top right corner of the first page of your route sheet.
  • Upon completion of your delivery route, please return the meal totes and your route sheet to your pick up site.  
  • You will return all pages of your route sheet and sign the first page.  Make sure you have checked the correct box for each meal:  Delivered or Not Delivered.

What to do if...

  • The Participant does not answer their door - 1) Knock loudly, 2) call their name and 3) call the phone number listed for them on the route sheet.  Double check the route sheet to see if there are special instructions about what to do if the participant is not home.  If you cannot locate the participant, call the Meals on Wheels Rowan office immediately (before you leave their home) and we will call their emergency contact or ask local law enforcement to do a safety check.  Leave a "We Missed You!" door hanger on their door.  Do not leave the meal.
  • Medical Emergencies - If you arrive to find a participant in immediate need of medical attention, please call 911!  Do not attempt to move the participant or perform any medical procedures yourself.  Stay with the participant until help arrives.  Call the Meals on Wheels office to report the incident.
  • If you notice a change in the condition of a participant or anything unusual on the route - If you observe a change in the condition of a participant or encounter anything unusual on the route, call the Meals on Wheels office.  We will follow up on your report.
  • Volunteer Safety - If you encounter an unsafe situation while delivering, do not deliver the meal.  Use your own discretion and good judgment to determine for yourself if you feel unsafe.  Please notify the Meals on Wheels office if such a situation occurs.
  • If you are unsure about how to handle a situation - If at any time you are unsure of the proper course of action, call the Meals on Wheels office at 704-633-0352.
  • Participant Contributions - Occasionally, participants may wish to make their monthly contribution to the Meals on Wheels program by sending it along with a volunteer.  If you receive a contribution from a participant, please return it to the office and give it to a member of our staff.
  • Absences - We know that, from time to time, things may occur that will prevent you from delivering a route on your assigned day.  If you deliver as part of a church or business team, please call your team coordinator.  Otherwise, contact the Meals on Wheels office as soon as possible so a substitute volunteer can be scheduled.

Confidentiality

Please be aware of the confidential nature of participant information.  All route sheets must be returned for the protection of the participant.  Do not reveal the participant's name or personal matters to anyone other than a Meals on Wheels staff member.

Inclement Weather

  • During inclement weather, we will announce our delivery plans.    
  • We will post delivery updates on our Website at mowrowan.org, our Facebook page at facebook.com/mowrowan.org, our Twitter page at twitter.com/MOWRowan and on our outgoing office message at 704-633-0352.
  • Our inclement weather updates will also be carried by:
    • WSAT Radio - 1280AM/103.3FM
    • WBTV Channel 3
    • WCNC-TV Channel 6
    • WSOC-TV Channel 9
  • If you are unsure about whether Meals on Wheels will be open and delivering, please phone 704-633-0352 to confirm the cancellation before you venture out in unsafe driving conditions.  If we plan to deliver, don’t hesitate to contact us if you are uncomfortable driving.  
  • Participants are given “Winter Weather Packs” with emergency meal supplies to cover days that our volunteers cannot deliver.

Reminders

  • Please address participants using his/her name.
  • Show a genuine interest; be a good listener.
  • Speak clearly and audibly.  Many participants have hearing problems.
  • Do not direct conversation towards a participant's illness or disability.
  • Do not give your home number to participants. 
  • Please refrain from using your own money to meet a participant's needs.
  • Smile!