So, I’d been hearing about Meals on Wheels here in Lubbock for a while. Kept thinking, maybe I should get involved, you know? Give back a little. Finally decided to actually do something about it instead of just thinking.
Getting Started Was Pretty Straightforward
First thing I did was look them up. Found their contact info – pretty easy. Gave them a call. Someone picked up, real friendly, told me what they needed and how volunteering works. Had to fill out some paperwork, standard stuff, like an application and agreeing to a background check. Makes sense, you’re going into people’s homes.
There was a short orientation session too. They explained the whole process: where to go pick up the meals, how the routes work, what to do if someone doesn’t answer the door, things like that. Wasn’t complicated, mostly common sense stuff, but good to hear it laid out clearly.
My First Day Delivering
Okay, the first day I was a little nervous, not gonna lie. Went down to the main kitchen location they told me about. It was buzzing, lots of volunteers getting their coolers ready. They handed me my route sheet and a big insulated bag full of hot meals, plus another smaller bag with cold items like milk or fruit.
Finding the first few houses took a minute, even with the instructions. GPS helps, obviously. Knocked on the first door. An older lady opened up, big smile. Handed her the meal, chatted for just a second – they tell you not to stay too long ’cause you’ve got other stops, but long enough for a quick “hello, how are you?”.
- Picked up the packed meals around lunchtime.
- Followed the route sheet they gave me.
- Knocked, waited, handed over the food.
- Said a quick hello, checked if they seemed okay.
- Moved on to the next house.
Did that about ten or twelve times. Some folks were chatty, others just took the meal with a quiet thank you. It felt good, though. Like I was actually doing something useful, you know?
Making it a Routine
Been doing it pretty regularly now. Got my own route down pat mostly. You start recognizing the streets, the houses. You even kinda get to know the folks you deliver to, just from those brief interactions each time. Some days are smooth, other days maybe someone isn’t home, and you follow the procedure they taught you – call the office, let them know.
It’s not hard work, really. Takes maybe an hour, hour and a half out of the middle of the day. You just drive, walk up to the door, hand off the food, maybe share a smile or a quick word. Simple.
Honestly, it feels grounding. Delivering those meals, seeing the people… it puts things in perspective. It’s a small thing, just dropping off lunch, but feels like it matters. Glad I stopped just thinking about it and actually signed up.
