From the plate of Vicki Coyle, CEO:
At Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley (MOWGLV), we think holistically about our clients’ needs. It may be that we can’t respond to all needs, but we do work hard at maintaining a network of reliable and professional resources to address a variety of client issues.
As I’ve said around the agency a few times, we are in a unique and privileged position. Our clients are vulnerable. They—and their families—place their trust in us (including our volunteers). We work very hard to provide services that are responsive and of high quality.
I would be remiss in meeting the challenges of this special position if I didn’t make sure that we pursue professional development opportunities for staff, as well as our volunteers. After all, our volunteers have the most contact with our clients.
One of our emerging initiatives is to develop monthly training topics and events for our volunteers. These events focus on topics that intersect with our clients’ needs. For example, we had presentations that focused on scams and opioid addiction, as they affect seniors. Both were well-received and gave our volunteers current information which could help our clients.
Today, there was an article in the paper about a Roseto grandmother who was taken in by a phone scam, but thankfully, her family interceded before she suffered financially:
This grandmother lives with her family and, from the article, they appear to be supportive. As many of you know, that is not the case with our MOWGLV clients.
Increasing our knowledge and staying on top of these issues is just one of the ways that MOWGLV serves our clients. I urge you to read the article to raise your awareness as a valued MOWGLV partner and knowledgeable community member.
Enjoy the weekend—fresh strawberries are hitting the local farmers’ markets! Buy Fresh, Buy Local!