Blog

YMOW volunteer Jackie Reid was approaching senior citizen status herself when she finally realized her dream of earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing. For her final thesis paper, Jackie chose to write about the unmet needs of the senior population – something that has long been a focus for her as a health professional. Today, ...

As a sociology student at University of Michigan, Kailey Whitted is preparing for a lifetime of service to others. And as a volunteer for Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, she’s getting firsthand exposure to the needs of the community and the ways she and others can help. As part of a University of Michigan class called ...

Jim and Marla Gousseff’s dedication to YMOW and their homebound neighbors lives on through gifts to six Ypsilanti organizations, including Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels will received a $200,000 endowment from The James W. (Jim) and Marla J. Gousseff Fund, part of a $1.8 million estate gift to the Ypsilanti Area Community ...

Since first signing on as a YMOW volunteer in 1995, Bob Nowlan has delivered thousands of meals, met hundreds of people, made dozens of friends and taken countless bags of garbage to the curb.  “I don’t know how much garbage I’ve taken out over the years,” said Bob, but he does know that each of ...

The year 2020 certainly came with its challenges, not only for YMOW, but also for those we serve. As older adults and people with health issues took steps to stay at home, demand for Meals on Wheels spiked. Meanwhile, our volunteer pool dwindled. But thanks to YMOW’s dedicated staff and a small but hard-working corps ...

Vera Felk-Spraetz looked forward to her weekly visits with the folks on her mini route just as much as the clients looked forward to her knock on their door each Wednesday. Then, everything changed. The new distancing rules and the need for a mask wasn’t the hard part, Vera said. The hard part was and ...

September 21-25 is National Falls Prevention Week – a great time to remind ourselves of the simple but important things we can do to prevent injury or even death from a fall. Did you know? • One in 4 Americans over 65 falls each year. • Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in ...

When the world around him began to shut down in March 2020, Ronald Youngblood wanted a way to help his community cope with a strange new reality. A friend suggested he help deliver meals for Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, and Ronald jumped right on board.  Ronald’s volunteer training was a little more intense than in ...

Is it a funny coincidence or a cruel joke that daylight savings time – the day when we set our clocks ahead and lose an hour of precious sleep – occurs during National Sleep Awareness Month? March is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of quality sleep and how to make it ...