• Fully register to become a volunteer, which includes completing an online application, accessing training, and setting route preferences for route assignments

• View your upcoming routes, sign up to drive additional routes, cancel upcoming delivery dates, and edit your profile and preferences

• Opt-in to receive email communications to remind you of your upcoming service day, inform you of additional service opportunities, and keep you up to date on VNA Meals on Wheels news and events

Additional system screen shots.

Group Coordinators will have additional features in one simple location making it easy to manage groups. As a Group Coordinator, you will be able to:

• See a weekly and monthly calendar of scheduled deliveries, with indications of which routes are assigned and unassigned

• Assign group volunteers to one-time or recurring routes

• Email all group volunteers, volunteers by route number, or specific volunteers

• Add new volunteers to the group through invitation links and simple online forms

• View and edit all volunteer information in your group’s roster

We are excited to roll out this new technology to you in late summer. Be on the lookout for more communications and details in the coming weeks!

If you would like to join us in testing the new system, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. Please email Karen Jefferson at jeffersonk@vnatexas.org.

For more information or questions, please contact Inga Wilson, VNA Volunteer Engagement Manager at wilsoni@vnatexas.org or call (214) 689-2685.

Whether you are a new volunteer or a seasoned veteran, below are some tips to make sure your next delivery goes smoothly!

Volunteer Spotlight Janita Wells and Kimberly Harl-Campbell, Meals on Wheels Partners Volunteers, Delivery Partners and Friends: Janita Wells (who turned 100 this month) and Kimberly Harl-Campbell have been friends for more than 17 years. Wanting to have something to do together on a regular basis, they began delivering meals more than 6 years ago as a way to give back to the community. Janita has always spoken very highly of VNA.

Janita grew up during the Great Depression. Her father, who was pharmacist, passed away when he was only 38 years old leaving her mother with 5 children to raise. Janita’s mother always told her and her siblings that even though they didn’t have money, they could always give of themselves. Obviously, she took those words to heart and is still giving of herself today. She is also the longest serving member of the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, joining in 1929. Janita embodies the spirit of service and giving; she is loving, caring, kind and “full of wisdom.”

Kimberly says when she and Janita are delivering meals and one of the clients has a hard time getting around, Janita asks them if she can help them. “She is 100 years old asking 70-80-year olds if she can help them,” says Kimberly. If a client mentions his/her age, Kimberly always tells how old Janita is and Janita always gets embarrassed! But Janita, at 100 years young, passed her driver’s test a few months ago!

What led her to VNA:
Janita was a donor to VNA and became involved as a volunteer through her church.

What would she be doing if she wasn’t volunteering for VNA:
Going to exercise classes, going to church, driving herself to visit with friends, or volunteering for another organization such as the Stew Pot in downtown Dallas.

Recruitment is currently underway for the 2018-2019 VNA Meals on Wheels Teen Board. Please help us spread the word! Each year we accept up to 80 high school students (grades 9-12) from schools throughout the Dallas area. These special teens make it their mission to assist VNA Meals on Wheels with feeding the hungry and creating awareness about senior hunger. The Teen Board is also a great way to meet new people, develop leadership skills and serve in the community!

Membership requires a one-year commitment with the possibility of continued service throughout the high school years. Through the course of the year, students must attend a minimum of five membership meetings and participate in five service projects (including three Meals on Wheels delivery routes). Annual dues are $40 and financial aid scholarships are available based upon need. For more information or to request an application, please contact Melanie Crommett at crommettm@vnatexas.org. The application deadline is July 1st.

May is Older Americans Month, a nationwide celebration emphasizing you are never too old (or young) to take part in activities that can enrich your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It also celebrates the many ways in which older adults make a difference in our communities. Delivering meals is a great way to get fresh air, exercise, and show our homebound seniors how much we care about their well-being. The 2018 theme is “Engage At Every Age.” Next time you deliver, consider inviting a friend or family member to come along. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, VNA needs all the help we can get in time and dollars supporting the needs of our senior neighbors who are aging at home with dignity and independence.

Thank you for supporting VNA Meals on Wheels! We appreciate your partnership and always look forward to hearing from you – (214) 689-2639 or volunteer@vnatexas.org.