H.O.P.E. (Healthy Options Program for the Elderly)

H.O.P.E. serves to provide additional food items to Meals on Wheels and More clients who have been identified as being the most nutritionally at risk.

H.O.P.E. is a collaboration between Meals on Wheels and More and the Capital Area Food Bank.  On the second Saturday of each month, volunteers deliver bags of non-perishable bags of groceries to the homes of clients in need.  Volunteers arrive at our E. 5th St. location and receive a list of clients on a route sheet with a map attached.  Grocery sack pick up occurs on the 2nd Saturday of every month between 10am - 11am and pick up and delivery tend to take 2 hours or fewer.

New volunteers fill in as substitutes on an as needed basis and also only during the months in which it fits into their own schedule.

Want to volunteer?

Volunteers must be able to:

• Use their own vehicle to deliver pre-packaged sacks of groceries to a group of assigned clients on the second Saturdays of the month.

• Must be able to follow driving directions via a provided map and be willing to deliver to various areas of town within Austin.

How groups can get involved?

A team of at least twelve people is needed monthly to sort the food items and to pack the 380 individual sacks.  This tends to serve as a good team building activity.  The project tends to take 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of the group.  The volunteer packing day must occur during a week day Monday through Friday on a date to be determined by the team and the program coordinator.  *often necessary to schedule several months in advance

Another way a group may get involved is through conducting a food drive for the H.O.P.E. program.  Items typically needed are canned fruits and vegetables, rice and grains, canned meats or proteins, and especially nutritional drinks such as Ensure or Boost.

If you are interested in volunteering for this program, please contact the H.O.P.E. coordinator: hope@mealsonwheelsandmore.org

*NOTE: Before becoming a volunteer, we ask that you speak with a volunteer coordinator, fill out an application, provide copies of both your driver’s license and car insurance, and allow us to run a criminal background check. You must also attend a short orientation session.