For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities FA L L 2 011
Advocate
Arc Workers Give Back to the Community In his book “The Prophet,” author Kahlil Gibran wrote, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” Twenty-five supported workers from the Dundalk Center who volunteer for Meals on Wheels (MOW) can attest to that.
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hree vans of volunteers from the center deliver meals five days a week in the Essex-Dundalk area of Baltimore County. They pick up food and route maps at the Church of the Brethren, then they deliver food to seniors and people who are housebound due to health issues. On a full day, the volunteers visit 34 homes.
Meals on Wheels volunteers from The Arc’s center in Dundalk Kristie Fritter, Keith Bochniak, David Price and David Rose.
In addition to delivering meals, they assess clients for obvious health changes and let supervisors know when someone doesn’t answer the door two days in a row. Keith Bochniak is one of the enthusiastic volunteers. Each day’s route is different, and Keith has them all memorized. He has great relationships with MOW clients and helps out by bringing in mail or, on trash days, carrying garbage cans back from the curb. One client, who has since passed away, sat
outside every day—no matter what the weather— waiting for Keith to arrive. Another client tells Keith, “George Clooney has nothing on you!” Many of the volunteers choose to remain at the center for special events or activities, but not Keith. He only misses days to attend his bowling banquet and participate in the Special Olympics.
Sandy Shifflett, manager of the Dundalk center, says the arrangement with MOW began three years ago in an effort to provide yet another option for supported workers. “For some people,” she explains, “jobs are meaningful. For others, activities are meaningful. And there are people for whom volunteer work is meaningful.” Arguably, one of the people who has benefitted most from the MOW experience is a gentleman who came to The Arc CON T INU ED O N PAG E 2