Norwood Seniors Network Home-Delivered Meals Volunteer Drivers: Delivering smiles & comfort from door-to-door.

Rain, shine, (or snow!), Norwood Seniors Network (NSN) meal delivery volunteers like Winnie Raines and Ingrid Petry faithfully brave the elements each week to bring hot, nutritious meals to the homes of seniors in our community. Their efforts deliver much more than a delicious lunch and dinner, though-they provide wellness checks, comfort, and a measure of independence to those they serve. Winnie and Ingrid, close friends for more than 40 years, began delivering meals in October 2011. They team up on deliveries to make sure their volunteer duties will always be covered, even if one is ill or out of town. On a typical meal delivery route, Winnie and Ingrid will visit six to twelve homes. At each stop, they check in with the senior client to ensure they are doing okay. In some cases, the women's smiling faces may be the only ones the client sees in a day. "The meal delivery is very rewarding," says Ingrid. "We establish a relationship with the elderly we deliver to, and I think they look forward to seeing us." Indeed, Winnie, Ingrid, and other NSN meal delivery volunteers brighten lives on each and every route - helping senior clients feel safer, healthier, and more independent in their homes. 

Kudos to the Norwood Seniors Network for receiving the Home Care Pulse Leader in Excellence, Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice awards for 2014. A well-deserved honor for a great team of dedicated people. 

We would like to acknowledge the amazingly dedicated efforts of the volunteers (like Micah and Adam, picture) who help Norwood Seniors Network deliver over 60 meals per day to seniors in our community. If you live in Chicago you know that it's been cold and snowy and fairly miserable to get around. Three cheers for great volunteers!