Meals on Wheels Receives New Volunteer Parking Lot

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- Meals on Wheels Montgomery County (MOWMC) moved to their new location in Downtown Conroe two years ago, October 2019 at 111 S. 2nd Street and through the suggestion of Pct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, last week they finally had a parking lot that could accommodate over 150 volunteers every day.

“This is a HUGE asset to our operations. We depend on volunteers to pick up and deliver 1200 meals each day throughout the county to our most vulnerable seniors that depend on our organization to meet their nutritional needs”, said Summer Day, President and CEO, MOWMC.

Commissioner Riley visited the MOWMC site in January of this year and saw the vehicles parked throughout the neighborhood, adjacent to the railroad tracks, and due to lack of space, the transportation vans for senior clients were left overnight at Candy Cane Park, over 2 miles away from the Meals on Wheels office.

Riley asked Summer Day what she was doing to alleviate the parking situation and was told the organization was requesting bids to construct a parking lot in the area formerly serving as a Community Garden. The area of the abandoned space is approximately one third of an acre, an ideal space for an expanded parking lot.

“I knew we could work on this as a county with our available funds to alleviate taking funds away from senior meals”, said Commissioner Riley. “I approached Commissioner Pct 1, Robert Walker to see if he had an interest in assisting with some of his designated funds to supply the material. Without any hesitation he agreed”.

Pct 2 supplied the labor and equipment to get the parking lot created. Teamwork made the goal attainable with enough space to accommodate the daily volunteers and corporate teams visiting Meals on Wheels to help create Breakfast Bags, nonperishable bags, and sort food for the Veteran Food Programs.

“Our Corporate Volunteers carpool to gain access to parking when they come to assist with many of our programs’, said Rhonda Darby, Programs Coordinator. “When they came today the volunteers were so excited to see the parking lot! It is such a simple thing with a large impact.”

Each $125 dollars donated feeds a senior for an entire month. MOWMC can deliver meals to a homebound senior for an entire year lower than the cost of one day in a hospital or ten days in a nursing home. Donate online at https://www.mowmc.org/donate.

Volunteers are always needed to help with delivering meals, events, prepare mailings, and assist with program needs. Start a food drive, decorate breakfast bags, create personalized birthday cards, or host an office workday at the Meals on Wheels office. Email Carrie Watkins at carrie@mowmc.org or view www.mowmc.org/volunteer/ for details.

Since 1973, MOWMC has had a successful track record of delivering meals to local homebound seniors, delivering 31,000 meals monthly. Volunteers deliver meals along 90 routes throughout the 1,000 square miles of Montgomery County. Additionally, MOWMC’s curb-to-curb transportation service provides more than 17,000 rides to the disabled and seniors annually. With a mission to foster independence and maintain the dignity of each homebound senior by providing nutritious meals, transportation, and caring connections, MOWMC can always use additional volunteers and donations. More information about Meals on Wheels Montgomery County can be found at www.mowmc.org or on the Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/MealsonWheelsMC

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