By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Cindy Vann remembers her first days as a Meals on Wheels volunteer, a newcomer to Tampa Bay with her husband and young children, having had “the blessing to grow up close to my grandparents.”
“I missed not being a part of their care in the last chapters of their lives,” Vann said. “I was invited by someone I knew to ride along on a Meals on Wheels delivery, and I was hooked at the first house. There’s something about handing someone a meal who has been waiting for it. Saying hello to someone who might not have seen anyone all day long, that, too, is pretty powerful.”
Now, some 30 years later, after serving as a volunteer, staff and board member, Vann is the director of mission engagement for Meals on Wheels of Tampa and its expansion into Riverview and Gibsonton.
“We’ve been here since June of 2021, and we’ve really grown in the number of people we serve,” Vann said. “The word has gotten out, and we’re grateful that we can make a difference in so many lives. We’re so grateful to be helping neighbors in Riverview and Gibsonton, but we need volunteers from those areas as well in order for us to keep delivering the meals.”
According to Vann, the mission in Riverview and Gibsonton has grown to eight routes, with each route taking approximately 20 volunteers to manage. Some people deliver weekly, some once a month and some only occasionally, which is why the call is out for 160 volunteers to fill the current Riverview and Gibsonton needs.
A photo of the food preparation line at the Meals on Wheels of Tampa kitchen facilities at 5320 North Blvd.
Hot meals prepared at Meals on Wheels of Tampa, at 5320 North Blvd., are delivered Monday through Friday, with two frozen meals delivered on Friday for recipients needing food for the weekend. The staple meal is heart healthy, with special meals prepared also for people with diabetic and renal issues.
Delivering meals, “what a wonderful way to connect with people who have lived long and full lives and are really working hard to live independently,” Vann said. “Anyone who can give 90 minutes of their day as frequently as their schedule allows is welcome. We have people who form groups and businesses that organize their time among themselves, and we’ve had students involved as well, going out with their parents on lunch breaks.”
The options are endless for a mission to serve people of all ages, Vann said, noting the meals are not just for senior citizens, but for anyone at any age homebound for a variety of reasons, including disability and illness. According to Vann, roughly 65 percent of the people served live alone.
“We see the homeless on the street. We know that’s an issue,” Vann said. “But our homebound neighbors are sometimes forgotten. Just by having consistently healthy meals and someone checking in on them daily, that can make a big difference in their ability to heal and live safely with independence and dignity.”
As part of a nationwide network of some 5,000 Meals on Wheels organizations, the operation in Tampa does not receive government funding.
“We turn to the community to meet that funding gap,” Vann said. “We don’t accept government grants, and we’re not a United Way agency. We believe, based on our mission and because we are privately funded, we can more efficiently and effectively deliver on our mission. We serve seniors, and we’re a safety net as well for people younger than age 62 who might not qualify for a government program.”
Meals on Wheels of Tampa Photos
A young volunteer hands food to a Meals on Wheels of Tampa recipient, in a photo shot by his mother.
Toward that end, “cost should never be a deterrent for someone to give us a call,” Vann said. “We have a sliding scale based on need and no person is turned away due to an inability to pay the full cost, which is $5.50 per meal.”
Meals on Wheels of Tampa serves people living within the organization’s outreach borders. According to Vann, that’s Lutz to the north, MacDill Air Force Base to the south, the Pinellas County line to the west and, to the east, the I-75 corridor going as far south as Riverview and Gibsonton. Additional Meals on Wheels operations are based as well in Brandon, Plant City and Sun City Center, Vann said.
“Truly, it’s just a phone call away for most people to get the meals they need and the nourishment that will improve their health,” Vann said. “We really just want to help people live with nourishment, enrichment and strength, in order to be able to live their best lives in their own homes for as long as possible.”
For more on Meals on Wheels of Tampa and to volunteer, visit www.mowtampa.org or call 813-238-8410. The organization’s web site includes as well a video outlining its mission and a tour of its kitchen facilities and meal preparations.
