NEAT’s Meals on Wheels program in “desperate” need of volunteers

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The Northern Environmental Action Team’s Meals on Wheels program needs volunteer kitchen staff and delivery drivers.

The program provides meals to seniors in Fort St. John, Taylor, and Charlie Lake who either have medical conditions, dietary concerns, or can’t handle cooking for themselves regularly.

“We offer a five dinner per week service, which we deliver four days a week. So, Thursday gets two meals,” NEAT executive director Karen Mason-Bennett said.

She says the program provides about 200 meals per week to 40 seniors in the Peace, with only six or seven delivery drivers.

“We desperately could use some help delivering [those meals].”

Meals are generally delivered between 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. However, Mason-Bennett says earlier delivery times can be arranged.

The organization also has openings for kitchen volunteers to help prepare and package meals.

“If we’ve got some folks that don’t have driver’s licenses or don’t have the ability to get around and they want to come in to help peel potatoes and chop up and portion and all of those things, it’s a fairly significant effort to be able to get 40 meals packaged and ready to go on a daily basis,” Mason-Bennett said.

She adds that those who volunteer to be delivery drivers must be fully vaccinated and able to pass a criminal record check, but for kitchen staff, these requirements are not applicable.

To learn more, visit NEAT’s website or reach out to them on Facebook.

Watch the full interview with Mason-Bennett below: