Meals On Wheels People

Patricia “Sam” Graham and her husband, Rod had been married nearly 40 years when they retired in the summer of 2009 from their jobs as secretary and custodian at a large Portland church. They downsized, moved to Gresham and less than a year later, Rod passed away suddenly. Depressed and lonely, Sam decided to visit the Gresham senior center to find outside activities and friendship to fill her days. Disabled and unable to drive, she called upon Ride connection to get her to and from the center. "I tried several activities but the turning point came when a group of diners invited me to join them for lunch in the Ambleside Meals on Wheels People dining room,” Sam said. “One thing led to another and soon I was coming every day and began to volunteer at the Meals on Wheels People registration desk as well as at the senior center. “There is no question that the people at the Ambleside Center were a lifeline for me and helped me through my depression,” Sam said. “Before I knew it, I was volunteering! I can’t do the whole job – I know I have limitations – but I do what I can and they welcome what skills I do have.” Sam recently fell at home and broke a couple of ribs and is now receiving Meals on Wheels. “I’m seeing the program from an entirely different angle now,” she said with a laugh. “Some of the volunteers I saw at the center every day are now delivering my meals. It’s interesting to see the different personalities of the drivers. I can see how a little friendly visit can make a world of difference to a homebound senior.” Sam is on the mend and hopes to return to the Ambleside Center soon to resume her volunteer duties – and to have lunch with her friends.

Jean Hansen has lived in the same house for 45 years. She and her husband, Harley, bought the land and had the house built in the fall of 1969. They raised two children there. They watched the neighborhood evolve from a semi-rural area of small farms to an urban enclave of subdivisions and freeways and four-lane roads. But Jean’s tidy home with the fenced yard has remained virtually unchanged since she moved in. And that’s fine with her. Jean, who proudly states that she is “90-and-a-half” plans to live out her days in the home she has lived in for decades. And she’ll be able to do that because of Meals on Wheels. Back in 2009, Jean took a fall and broke her leg. She was hospitalized briefly and upon her release, the discharge planned suggested she sign up for Meals on Wheels. “I’d heard of Meals on Wheels, of course,” Jean said. “But it just never occurred to me that it was a service I could use. It has made all the difference to me. I could not have lived in my home by myself without the service.” Jean never really recovered her full strength after the fall and has continued to receive meals. “Oh, I can probably steam some vegetables and I can use a microwave, but I can’t really cook anymore,” Jean confessed. “All of the volunteers are just wonderful. Some of them have been delivering to me since the very first days.” Volunteer driver Debbie Hekker said Jean is a favorite among the drivers. “Whenever I come to the Lents Center to pick up Route 4, someone always shouts out, ‘Oh you have Jean today! Lucky you!’” Jean’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all live nearby and visit often, but it is that hot meal and daily visit that really make the difference for Jean, allowing her to age in place.