Bay Aging is pleased to join the Administration for Community Living in celebrating Older Americans Month throughout May. This year’s theme, Age My Way, focuses on how older adults can age in their communities, living independently for as long as possible.

Older adults play vital, positive roles in strengthening our community. Ensuring that older adults remain involved and included benefits everyone. An important program that combats hunger, malnutrition, and social isolation is Meals on Wheels. With the assistance of our generous volunteers, Bay Aging delivers over 190,000 meals annually to older adults in the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck. Additional volunteers are needed in Mathews County – if you can help, call Laura Matthews at 804-725-7850. Schedules are flexible, and you can share a route with family or friends.

Kirsten S. Thomas has been delivering meals for Bay Aging since 2008. “At first I delivered by myself, or got my kids to help when school was out. A few years later my mother started driving up from Yorktown to help me. When my father heard about how much we enjoyed it, and that we would treat ourselves to lunch at Linda’s Diner afterwards, he decided to come with Mom and help out too. Soon after Dad joined us, my friend Judy retired from William & Mary and wanted to get in on the fun, so now she picks up my parents in Yorktown on her way from Williamsburg. We all really enjoy visiting with and checking in on the Meals on Wheels’ recipients. They are so grateful to have a hot meal and someone to talk to. As volunteers we are also another set of eyes to react if recipients do not come to the door, and we communicate with the Active Lifestyle Center for resolution of any medical, utilities or phone issues we find. The small role we play in the lives of our meals’ recipients gives each of us personal satisfaction and a sense of pride when we tell our friends that we volunteer with Meals on Wheels in Mathews.”