CAS program receives donation from JM Honor Society
Community Action Southwest recently received a donation of $1,366 from the Jefferson-Morgan Chapter of National Honor Society for the Meals on Wheels service provided by the agency in Greene County.
Members of the National Honor Society donated proceeds from their annual talent show which was held on March 18.
The donation will be used to purchase gas cards for the volunteers who deliver meals within the local community.
?Community Action Southwest’s Home Delivered Meals program (formerly known as Meals on Wheels) has 90 volunteer drivers that deliver meals Monday-Friday with substitute drivers on hand as needed. The program services 140 Greene County homebound older adults per day, serving an average of 2,800 hot meals per month.
Home Delivered Meals provide a community-based and community-supported system for helping older adults to remain independent in their homes.
The program helps to provide early identification and outreach to seniors who may be in need of other services. The program puts a volunteer in the consumer’s home five days a week. The volunteer has the opportunity to assess the situation and report any concerns to trained staff who can then provide linkages to services.
Although Community Action Southwest recognizes how invaluable the service is, budget issues prohibit the center from reimbursing their volunteers. This donation made by Jefferson-Morgan National Honor Society is a wonderful way for the senior centers to thank their volunteers. Patricia Lemley, site supervisor for the Jefferson Senior Center, said, “We truly appreciate working hand in hand with the students. It’s a great community effort.”
The mission of Community Action Southwest is to serve as a catalyst to mobilize the resources of the entire community to enable families and individuals in Washington and Greene Counties to attain the skills, knowledge, motivation and opportunity to become self-sufficient.
Community Action Southwest offers a number of services including Nutrition Services (Women, Infants and Children – WIC), Early Childhood Services (Head Start/Early Head Start, Pre K Counts), Family Economic Success and various other initiatives designed to help low-income people achieve a greater degree of self-sufficiency.