Great Nonprofits

This is one of the best organizations around. They started helping my grandmother when my grandpa died. She couldn't cook for herself anymore and Meals On Wheels brought her food daily. Grandma would tell me how Roland "Ro-ro", the delivery driver, always had a joke for her when he dropped off her meals. There is such a sense of relief when you know that someone really cares about your family when you aren't around to take care of them. She passed away in 2006 and even remembered them in her will. These days, as hard as times are, we still regularly donate to Meals On Wheels. We know that our contribution will go to help someone else's parents or grandparents and make them smile.

I was a volunteer at Meals On Wheels of San Fran. Its great people are truly helping those most in need--isolated seniors. My opportunity with Meals On Wheels involved delivering bread to the Dorrwin B. Jones Senior Center--a congregate meal site where the seniors can enjoy meals, entertainment and activities in a safe and friendly environment--for up to 150 people a day. It's the smile on the faces when they know fresh bread is coming that makes this so rewarding.

I was fortunate enough to ride with a meals driver and deliver lunch in the roughest part of town; it was truly an eye-opening experience. Many of the elderly that we visited have no other contact with the outside world except for when they open the door to receive their daily hot meal. They live in isolation due to fear and neglect. What Meals On Wheels of San Francisco provides is vital to these seniors: Basic nutrition, human contact, a sense of genuine care.