By Sylvia Rosen
Correspondent
—
IPSWICH — At 9 in the morning, you can find Joyce Burrier waiting by the door at Whittier Manor on Caroline Avenue. She is there to unload packages of nutritious meals that will make their way into homes all over Ipswich. The meals are for SeniorCare's lunch program, Meals on Wheels.
It's a program that is making a difference for a lot of older people in town.
"Meals on Wheels gives people a chance to live independently," Burrier said. "We have a man that is 101 years old and living by himself, because he can — because we help feed him."
But it's also a program that relies as much on volunteers as on paid employees. Many of the drivers who show up on weekday mornings to make sure residents get their midday meal do so as volunteers. And the agency, which also serves Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham, Topsfield and Cape Ann, is in need of more volunteer drivers.
The Rev. Glenn Prescott is one of the agency's drivers who show up at residents' doorsteps with lunch and a smile. The pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church has been delivering meals three times a week for eight years.
"I got involved with the program because my wife works for SeniorCare in Gloucester," Prescott said. "When we moved to the area from Maine, I thought it was a good way to get to know the community."
Prescott's delivery route typically takes an hour and a half. He hops in and out of his car on most days, but when he has a lot of time, he enjoys sitting down with residents to chat. One of the things he's realized is that for many of the people on his route, this is their one good, nutritious meal for the day.
"The program is great. In many cases, there are special meals for each person's needs, like cardiac meals or diabetic meals," he said.
Burrier has worked for the program for 20 years and admires what it does for the community. It's not just food, she says; it's a point of contact.
"Around 57 meals are sent out through Ipswich every day," she said. "In some cases, we are their only form of communication."
The program is open to older people who are unable to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. The lunches, prepared every weekday by Sidekim Catering in Lynn, are delivered to residents' doors for $2 a meal.
SeniorCare also offers the same meals at Whittier Manor.
Charlotte Weagle is one Whittier resident who appreciates this option. She has lived in Ipswich for many years and was receiving the meals at her house. When her relatives died, her brother encouraged her to move to the complex.
"It's the best move I've made," Weagle said. "I'm like the mayor of Caroline. Everyone is so wonderful."
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the SeniorCare office in Gloucester, toll-free at 866-927-1050.
