Meals on Wheels gets new partner

Published 12:57 am Saturday, September 11, 2010

Check presentation: Walmart team members present a $750 check to Suffolk Meals on Wheels. Walmart recently partnered with Suffolk Meals on Wheels to provide support in the form of volunteers and monetary donations.

Suffolk Meals on Wheels has a new partner in its mission to provide nutritious food to all who need it in the area.

The North Main Street Walmart store chose Meals on Wheels to bless with extra volunteers and money as part of Walmart’s corporate “Fighting Hunter Together” program. Each store was asked to pick a local organization or charity that works to eradicate community hunger and work with the organization to provide more hands and dollars.

“We are so thrilled,” said Roseland Worrell, the executive director of Suffolk Meals on Wheels. “It’s really special when you get something you didn’t ask for. We’ve been beating the bushes trying to get donations, and then this comes up.”

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The Walmart team approached Worrell after employees voted that they wanted to support Meals on Wheels, said Valarie Taylor, personnel coordinator at the store.

“We just look forward to doing it,” Taylor said. “Meals on Wheels is such a good opportunity.”

Taylor said several associates at the store have relatives, friends or neighbors who receive Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers two meals each weekday to anyone who is unable to prepare nutritious food for themselves. For them, it was easy to pick Meals on Wheels to support.

The store began its backing of the program this week with a check for $750 and more than 30 volunteers. Each volunteer is on the schedule about once a month, Taylor said.

“We had to space it out so we weren’t actually bombarding them with so many people,” she said.

The Walmart volunteers who have to work on their assigned day are given the hour to deliver meals, Worrell said. Some even come in on their days off.

“They’re just really excited over doing this,” Worrell said. “They love coming here to volunteer.”

For more information on Suffolk Meals on Wheels, call 934-4911.