Meals on Wheels of Suffolk and Isle of Wight is celebrating Jennifer Homan as she is now serving as the nonprofit’s new Executive Director. Homan follows previous Executive Director Jessica York, who now has a new venture serving as Western Tidewater Free Clinic’s new Director of Development.
In a May 23 interview, Homan discussed her goals for the organization, noting her wishes to recruit more volunteers and collaborate with more civic groups and organizations.
“And I also am learning some of the programs that we have, collecting additional data, things like that so that we can apply for grants. We operate solely through grant funding and donations. We are not a part of any federal programs. We’re not a part of United Way, so we don’t get anything from those entities,” she said. “…All of it is solely through donations and grants, and without it and all the volunteers that we have, we would never be able to exist.”
For those unaware of MOW of Suffolk and Isle of Wight, Homan detailed that the nonprofit has 11 routes: three in Isle of Wight County with the remainder in the City of Suffolk.
“We provide two meals per day based on the number of days the client chooses…,” Homan said. “But on the delivery day, they will receive one hot meal and one cold meal along with two beverages, and then sometimes that will also might be some chips, there could be some fresh fruit involved, things like that.”
She also notes this as an opportunity to share informational books on senior equipment and nutritional information. Likewise, she emphasizes sharing companionship with recipients.
“In many ways, when they see our volunteers there, that is their person that they see that day. That is their time to share their story about their grandchildren,” Homan said.
Homan’s humble beginnings with MOW saw her start as a volunteer due to her grandmother being involved for about 20 years.
“And I would go with her on routes on occasion and then about 10 years ago, I started going on my own and taking my children, mostly in the Windsor area, because that’s the area that I am from,” she said. “Like our other volunteers, we come here to the hospital and pick up meals for those clients on those routes and then go through the community, and you develop relationships and it’s a lovely organization and I really, really enjoyed getting to spend that time with seniors.”
Homan says those interested in donating and volunteering can go to their official website, www.mowsuffolkiow.com, which includes a volunteer interest application.
“They can certainly call our office and speak to us and we can give them more information. I am happy to talk to anyone who would love to hear about Meals on Wheels,” Homan said. “I am open to invitations to go speak at organizations, if they would like me to go talk and really discuss what we have so they can do a Q&A.”
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