Sally L. of Urbandale takes pride in her independence. At 84, the former educator is engaged in the world around her and enjoys staying current with news and events; she enjoys sharing stories of her years teaching teenagers with behavioral issues and is proud to remain connected to some of those former students.
So when she began to experience mobility issues that threatened her ability to cook
her own meals, she knew she needed to make a change to maintain the selfsufficient
lifestyle that was important to her.
“All I could manage was standing at the microwave for two minutes to eat a cheap
frozen meal that wasn’t good anyway, and after those two minutes, my legs would
be hurting so badly I could hardly take it,” Sally, 84, said. “So I decided to call Meals
on Wheels. I had heard about them and thought at least the food would be better,
and they’d bring it to me.”
Sally is pleased with her decision. Each day, she looks forward to a visit from Meals on Wheels driver Brian, who not only brings her a healthy lunch, but stops to chat for a moment and make sure all is well. On a recent day, he even took the time to try to help her sort out issues with her TV.
“They clearly know how to hire kind and caring people,” Sally said. “For those of us who don’t get many visitors, knowing we’ll see somebody every day is something to look forward to.”
Sally is also grateful for the financial assistance that enables her to be a Meals on Wheels client. As 85 percent of Meals on Wheels clients live far below the poverty level, donations from generous supporters to WesleyLife Foundation make it possible for Sally and other Meals on Wheels clients to receive their meals for free, or for a reduced charge.
“My Social Security income isn’t much because I had to go on disability early, so I wasn’t sure I’d qualify, but I learned there was money available to help with the cost,” she said. “I don’t know who the people are who donated, but I hope they know I am very appreciative.
“I worked hard my whole life and have two masters’ degrees; it’s not easy to turn into someone who needs help. But I do, and I’m thankful I found Meals on Wheels.”
If you would like to support food insecure neighbors like Sally, please visit WesleyLife.org/giveMOW. A gift of $300 can provide one month of meals
for a client in need.
