Noah’s Special Connection
Every week, Noah, a young adult with special needs, gets into his family vehicle with one or both of his parents, and they drive him down to Circle of Care’s Meals on Wheels office to pick up boxes containing prepackaged bags of food for clients. The family then travels together, following the route sheet provided to them by Circle of Care staff, as Noah delivers bags of food to the doorsteps of clients.
“I love older adults. They’re an interesting group of people,” says Noah. “They’re very welcoming, and they’re full of wisdom. They also have great stories.”
Noah and his parents started delivering meals with Circle of Care in 2019. Noah has felt drawn to older adults for a long time, and connected well with them, his father Daryl shared.
“Our 92-year-old neighbor Frank used to be one of Noah’s closest friends,” said Daryl. “He and Frank became friends after Frank called out to Noah as he was going on a walk and asked him ‘hey, where are you going?’. From then on, they were really close, up until Frank passed away.”
Volunteering with Meals on Wheels has been a great activity for the family to share together, and Daryl noticed Noah’s verbal communication skills have improved as a result.
“Noah can have challenges with effectively communicating with people,” says Daryl. “But, with Meals on Wheels, he has had the opportunity to continue improving his communication skills by going door to door, knocking on them, and connecting with older adults.”
While volunteering with Meals on Wheels has been beneficial for Noah, the ultimate goal for him and his parents has been to provide a personal connection to older adults and to give back to the community.
“Every person has a different story, and all of them are so welcoming and inspiring,” says Daryl. “Each moment of connection – whether brief or long – is always memorable.”
Noah’s interactions with clients changed in 2020 after the pandemic hit and his visits with each client were cut short. But, he has adapted to the changes and insists that he continues to look forward to delivering each meal.
“It’s important to keep going during the pandemic because some seniors may not have the ability to cook for themselves anymore and need help getting meals,” says Noah. “It’s tough for them, so I always make sure to watch and listen carefully to the clients while also delivering their meals with a smile.”
Thanks to volunteers like Noah and his parents, Circle of Care clients can eat well-balanced meals and always know that there’s a meal waiting for them in their freezer to heat up and eat.
Circle of Care currently has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for adults and students, including Meals on Wheels deliveries. If you or someone you may know is interested in volunteering and connecting with older adults, visit our Volunteer page for more details and to apply!
