RICHMOND, Va. — For Maurice Harris, volunteering with Meals on Wheels isn't just about delivering food – it's about making connections that change lives.
"These people you're going to meet on this route, that's it. Oh my gosh. They're wonderful. They're grateful. They're funny. You get to know them. They get to know you. And the other thing, I think, is there's, there's an enormous the need is just unbelievable out there in this community for this type of program," Harris said.
Harris said he has volunteered with Meals on Wheels for seven or eight years, totaling 1,388 hours.
Meals on Wheels serves as a lifeline for many seniors who struggle with cooking or mobility issues.
When asked why he looks forward to the volunteers coming, recipient Floyd Jeter had a simple answer.
"I gotta eat. It's good," Jeter said.
While Jeter was the only person who originally agreed to talk, at each stop there was another open door and another open heart.
When asked how difficult it would be without the program, 90-year-old Dorothy Ellis was candid about the challenges.
"It would be rough trying to fix it myself. It saved me a lot. God bless the Meals on Wheels. That's all I got to say," Ellis said.
As we moved through the route, one thing became crystal clear – the Meals on Wheels program provides essential support to vulnerable community members.
"For Feed More. I really don't know what I would do, because financially, I can't really eat," recipient Kim James said. "[You] open the door and get somebody with a smile, because sometimes I feel isolated too. I'm here alone, so I depend on a lot of people to come here."
For volunteers like Harris, the most beneficial part goes beyond delivering meals.
"There are people who just can't cook for themselves. They are unable to stand or their mobility is limited. The benefit is I'm helping. I'm helping people improve their lives," Harris said.
Behind every knock is a story, and behind every smile is a need.
This isn't just a job for Harris. It's a joy.
"You know, when I think of the big picture, it's such a small part of the picture to just help one person, but if you help one person and you help another person and you help another person, then you what it makes me feel is that I'm contributing, even though it's a small gesture on my part, I'm contributing to bettering someone's life or society in general," Harris said.
To help fight food insecurity in our community, Puritan Cleaners has partnered with Feed More to collect food and funds for its yearly 100K Meals campaign.
Click here to donate to the 100K Meals campaign. Every $1 donated helps provide four meals.
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