It’s one of the highlights of the day for Jose Ornelas. Santa Barbara Meals on wheel volunteer Sandy Nordahl has arrived with his lunch.
Ornelas, and the non-profit program are celebrating a big milestone together.
"We're celebrating 50 years of serving the community, and Jose received out two millionth meal," said Kay Castignola, the Volunteer Driver Coordinator for Santa Barbara Meals on Wheels.
Seven days a week, the organization provides meals for hundreds of people from Santa Barbara’s Eastside to the western outskirts of Goleta. It's not just seniors, but anyone who might be a stuck at home on a short term or long term basis.
Ornelas is grateful for the daily meal delivery. The 61-year-old Santa Barbara man has some physical disabilities which make it hard for him to get out, or to cook.
Clients pay a maximum of $4.75 each for the meals, but it’s on a sliding scale, so those with limited income pay less. Even at $4.75, it’s a bargain, because that’s only about half of the non-profit’s cost for each meal.
Nordahl is one of the volunteer drivers. She says she's been doing it for about eight years, and loves being out in the community and helping others.
But, Nordahl says it’s about much more than delivering food. For some of the homebound, the food drop-off might be the only in-person contact they have with someone else all day. She admits the pandemic has made it hard, because they can’t come into homes to visit as they have for years.
Santa Barbara’s Meals on Wheels program can always use volunteers, but because of the COVID surge, it can’t take on new ones at this time.
But, what it can support now is those who are homebound who need meals. Again, you don’t have to be a senior. People who have a disability, or trouble getting around because of an injury or surgery can line up the service.
The one thing it really needs is money. Again, unlike many other noncommercial home delivery meal programs, it doesn’t get government funding. It relays on grants, and donations from the community.
You can find details on Santa Barbara’s Meals on Wheels program here.
