Stepping Up in Times of Crisis

Meals on Wheels sees shift in volunteers, demand during the COVID-19 pandemic


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


TORONTO, August 11, 2020 -- It may come as no surprise that community support services rely heavily on volunteers. 

What most people don’t realize, however, is that the majority of volunteers for senior-based services, such as meals on wheels (MOW) and other programs supporting food security, are seniors themselves. 

As COVID-19 imposed self isolation and social distancing, the demand for supports like meal delivery skyrocketed. Yet, the majority of delivery drivers for community organizations were at-risk themselves. 

As a result, some Ontario MOW providers saw a decrease of approximately 80% of their active volunteer force. That left organizations across the province scrambling.

“Truly our last resort would be stopping MOW, and that just wasn’t an option,” said Lily Sorbara, the MOW coordinator at Villa Colombo, an ethno-specific long term care facility in Toronto. 

Some organizations were able to develop strategic partnerships, collaborating with others whose services were deemed less essential. Since day one, for example, Huron & Area Search & Rescue (HASAR) volunteers have offered their time to fill the gaps at ONE CARE Home & Community Support Services, a local not-for-profit health organization. 

Mary Beth Alexander, the human resource manager and volunteer recruiter at ONE CARE, said: “Right from the get go, as soon as they saw that this was going to create a challenge in our community, [HASAR] stepped forward to offer their support.”

Thanks to government funding distributed through the Ontario Community Support Association, other organizations were able to redeploy current staff in order to fill the need. 

The Jewish Family Services of Ottawa typically offers a transportation program and has a retainer of paid drivers. Since the demand for transportation diminished, the drivers were redeployed to help with the MOW program. 

“It’s amazing how generous people are, to see how willing they are to collaborate,” said Lisa Rossman, the manager of the organization’s seniors support services. “I found it very humbling to see how generous the staff has been. They are putting themselves at risk.”

Not all organizations — some of which operate with only one or two full-time staff — had the capacity to take over. In those areas, they had to rely on the strength and goodwill of their communities to continue doing what they do. 

Albert Nangini, a volunteer for Villa Colombo’s MOW services, has been offering his time for upwards of eight years. 

Last week, he celebrated his 79th birthday. Because it fell on a Monday, Nangini kickstarted his celebrations by delivering meals, just like he does every Monday and Thursday. 

“When COVID came to light, my children put a lot of pressure on me to stop volunteering because of the danger. But I said no, I am going to keep going because the seniors need our help,” said Nangini. 

Nangini assured his family that if he ever felt at risk, he would stop. But instead, like other senior care facilities, Villa Colombo went above and beyond to ensure both their volunteers and clients were kept safe. New protocols were put in place and funds were redistributed to ensure all volunteers were equipped with sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). 

“The way they have it rigged up I feel very comfortable to continue doing my job,” said Nangini.

“No one wanted to stop volunteering,” added Sorbara. “When you work with seniors it is very difficult not to be dedicated.”

For Mary Smallwood, a volunteer with Meals on Wheels Ottawa, it was about doing something valuable with the extra time on her hands. An educational assistant in Eastern Ontario, Smallwood was left with few responsibilities after schools shut down at the beginning of March. MOW was the perfect way to fill her time. 

“They had a really good online training system, it was really well put together,” said Smallwood. 

Both her parents were former MOW clients in northern Ontario, and Smallwood knows firsthand how important it is for care facilities to have good support. 

“There are so many wonderful, caring staff, but it is not enough,” said Smallwood. 

The struggle now is that the increased demand for meal delivery remains, even as restrictions ease. Millions of seniors across the province are still self-isolating. And some families that have been caring for their senior members are no longer able to do so. That’s where programs like Meals on Wheels can help. 

While some volunteers and staff are returning to their original roles, others aren’t yet comfortable coming back.

Organizations are worried now more than ever. At the Jewish Family Services of Ottawa, Rossman said, “I am finding the struggle is that now, we are in limbo way more than when everyone was twiddling their thumbs and wanting to help.”

Should a second wave come, organizations are doing whatever they can to make sure they are prepared. They are also calling on their respected communities to keep showing up for each other.

For ONE CARE, Alexander said, “It’s about stepping up and supporting our most vulnerable population at a time when it is really needed the most.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven the importance of community-based services, and between the dedicated staff who stepped up in an uncertain time and the volunteers — both seasoned and the first timers — these services have been able to continue. 

“It’s been a whirlwind, but I am humbled to see how everyone has been willing to work together,” said Rossman. “I hope that can continue.”

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About OCSA

Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) represents close to 230 not-for-profit organizations that provide home care and community support services that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently in their own homes and communities
for as long as possible. These compassionate and cost-effective services improve quality of life and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. They are the key to a sustainable health care system for Ontario.

For more information, visit www.ocsa.on.ca and https://twitter.com/OCSAtweets.

For interviews and information requests please contact:

Sandra Kahale – Media Coordinator
Ontario Community Support Association
647-997-1800

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