POLK COUNTY, Fla. — For 89-year-old Martha Harvey, the person who shows up at her door each weekday means just as much as the meal they bring.
Harvey has several medical issues that have left her homebound and unable to cook for herself. Through Meals on Wheels of Polk County, a volunteer delivers a hot, prepared meal to her home every weekday.
WATCH: Meals on Wheels Polk County seeks volunteers as more seniors need help
But the visit provides Harvey with something else: companionship.
“I love seeing them every day because I have a lot of children too, but they’re all busy working and all,” Harvey said.
Harvey said knowing someone will show up each day gives her peace of mind.
“It has been wonderful. You don’t have to worry. You know every day you’re going to have a meal and they’re so good. Really good,” she said.
Meals on Wheels of Polk County delivers about 675 hot meals every weekday to homebound seniors across the county.
As Polk County continues to grow, the organization has added more delivery routes to meet the demand. But about 150 people remain on the waitlist for the program.
The organization says it urgently needs more volunteers, particularly in Bartow, Lakeland and Davenport.
For volunteers Flip and Tonya Farinella, delivering meals has become about much more than dropping off food. The husband-and-wife team has spent the past seven years making deliveries to seniors throughout Polk County.
Over the years, they’ve developed relationships with many of the people they serve.
“Sometimes we’re the only people that they get to see during the week so they’re happy to see us when we come,” Tonya Farinella said.
A typical route includes more than a dozen stops.
“Typically 15-16 stops, and we started at nine,” Flip Farinella said.
For homebound seniors, those daily visits can help combat isolation while ensuring they have access to nutritious food.
For Harvey, the human connection is just as meaningful as the meal.
“Really it’s a nice feeling that somebody’s going to be there and they’re so nice. Everyone of them,” Harvey said.
Meals on Wheels of Polk County is looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to homebound seniors, especially in Bartow, Lakeland and Davenport.
Find more information about volunteering, here.
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Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
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