As volunteers in our community, we want to let you know about a community need we find very worthwhile and heartwarming; Meals on Wheels of Cheyenne, WY. “Your Real Estate Resource Team” along with a number of other dedicated volunteers makes sure a hot meal is delivered each day to home-bound folks here in our community.
As drivers delivering meals, one of the most important things we do is to check on the safety and well being of each person we deliver meals to. We are often the only person they will see that day. We actually save lives because we can get emergency help to these friends, neighbors, or loved ones quickly. The number of people needing this service is increasing constantly as the elderly population is growing by 22.2%. The future of our program is being threatened as funding has become less reliable. We need your help to continue serving Cheyenne and Laramie country by supporting our program. Without your support we run the risk of a waiting list for these services in the future. If it were not for our Mart Store, 13 employees, and hundreds of volunteers, we would now have a waiting list. Believe it or not, 66% of our budget must come from donations and fund raisers if we are to continue serving the home-bound. Remember, YOU may need this service one day. Please open your heart and help us with your support.
Here are some facts we would like to share with you:
- We serve 75,000 to 85,000 meals annually
- We deliver 245-265 meals daily
- We have 255-300 people in the program
- 32 routes daily and this will be increasing because some routes now have 14 to 15 people in them.
- 160 Drives are needed weekly
- Drives use their own vehicles and pay for their own gas.
- 3-5 volunteers are needed in the kitchen daily to get the meals out.
- The Grants we are fortunate enough to have only contribute to 34% of the cost of to get our meals out. The remaining 66% must be raised or donated.
- We provide over 1,700 free meals per month, and this number is rising.
- Due to the increase in cost of utilities, medicine, and other needs, client contributions for their meals are decreasing.
- Cost of food has risen 26% this year alone.
- Wyoming citizens age 85 and over (those with the greatest need for our service) grew by 48% between 1990 and 2008.
- Ninety-eight percent of the people we serve state they would not be in their own homes if it was not for our services.
- Our clients tell us they feel safer because we check on them daily
Our Christmas program entails an Angel Tree located at The Property Exchange,
255 Storey Blvd., where you can come in and choose one or more gift tags and make Christmas wishes come true for someone in need.
We ask you to embrace Meals on Wheels by volunteering or giving with your heart. To volunteer or gather more information, please call 635-5542.
