Food is just part of the goodness Nambour Meals on Wheels delivers

NewsCommunity

30 Mar

Delivering goodness: Nambour Meals on Wheels Service Manager Jennifer Waldroff and Chef Troy.

Perhaps nothing says love better than a hot meal and a warm, smiling face.

And for many clients of Nambour Meals on Wheels, those smiling faces may be the only source of human interaction, and those hot meals the only things keeping them nourished in a time of increased demand.

So it helps if the food is restaurant-quality, says Service Manager Jennifer Waldroff. “A major focus for us over the last 9 months has been the quality of our food,” she said. “Chef Troy produces meals of restaurant quality while still maintaining the home cooked fresh tastes. We have seen a huge increase in the demand for our meals over this period which we primarily attribute to the quality food and service we provide.”

Jennifer said her team had received wonderful feedback on the quality of their food including this quote: “My wife passed away a few months ago, I really haven’t smiled much since then. Your meal really made me smile today. It was delicious.”

Now in their 50th year Nambour Meals on Wheels has grown in just the past 18 months from providing an average of 420 meals a week to 580.

A meal might consist of a soup or side salad, a main meal or main meal salad, dessert or fresh fruit and a fruit juice. The meals are delivered in the middle of the day and can be delivered hot, chilled or frozen using primarily locally-sourced ingredients.

“Our clients are generally aged over 65 but we also provide meals to younger people under NDIS or those who need some assistance,” Jennifer said. “One of our main purposes is to help people maintain their independence and remain living in their own home. By getting meals from us it also gives them more free time to enjoy activities other than cooking.”

How can you help

Nambour Meals on Wheels have many wonderful volunteers but as the service expands, the need for help in the kitchen and with delivering increases. “We have a real need for additional volunteers to help out at the moment,” said Jennifer. “Anyone who would like to give a few hours of their time once a week, once a fortnight or even once a month would be fantastic.”

• Call Jennifer on 5441 3543 if you can help. Nambour Meals on Wheels is at 21A Price Street, Nambour.