Meals on Wheels Spokane, Feed Thy Neighbor volunteers deliver around 400 Thanksgiving meals to seniors

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Around 400 Thanksgiving meals were delivered to seniors and home-bound people across town on Thursday.

Deliveries were coordinated by Meals on Wheels Spokane and Feed Thy Neighbor of the Inland Northwest. Feed Thy Neighbor volunteer Penny Moyer said around 70 volunteers helped with this year’s deliveries.

While Meals On Wheels has hosted personal Thanksgiving meals in the past, this was canceled this year due to COVID-19 concerns.

“Often times, that is the only contact these people have today,” said Jim Moyer, Penny’s husband and volunteer. “The other meaning is the people who drive, they can see a need in the community. Everyone who volunteers here says: ‘Can we come back for the next vacation?’ ”

Food preparation began in the kitchen of the Mid-City Concerns senior center on Wednesday evening.

Among other things, volunteers worked 120 pounds of potatoes in addition to another 100 pounds of sweet potatoes, Penny Moyer said. Volunteers also cut and prepared 400 pieces of cake.

“We always have new volunteers and people who want to get involved, and I love that. That’s a big part of it for us, ”said Jim Moyer. “It’s a blessing to the community, but it’s also a blessing to those who are allowed to serve.”

For Melody Pugh and her children, their first foray into volunteering to help with deliveries began with a little adventure.

Her son Austin, 19, stopped at the first of nine stops while a shower was being installed. The precipitation had subsided as they navigated unmarked buildings on their way to their second stop and walked around a boarded building to follow a road to a back apartment.

At the third birth, Melody’s 16-year-old daughter Ava replaced her as navigator when the family landed on East Mission Avenue instead of West.

The food made it anyway. One person who received a meal from the Pughs called it “a blessing”.

Another, Dew Warnock, shared this opinion.

“Wow,” said Warnock. “I’m surprised and thankful guys.”

Melody Pugh said she is eager to volunteer with her family to “keep paying it”. She said her family has been helped between COVID-19 and other personal challenges in recent years.

The experience helped put these issues into perspective, she said.

“It’s a reminder that even when we feel like we’ve lost things or it has been difficult, there are so many more people who have it harder than you,” she said. “It helps to keep the really important things in focus, like friends and family. The simple things that we take for granted, like food on the table or a roof over our heads, are sometimes a luxury for others. “

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https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/25/meals-on-wheels-spokane-feed-thy-neighbor-voluntee/