Key Positions Noe poised for continued growth to meet needs

in 2022.

Give Sandra Noe a challenge, and she’ll likely respond, “Give me a couple days, and I can help out.”

As CEO of Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana, Noe has faced challenges, including the pandemic. Looking to the future, she has her sights on two issues.

One is reaching out to rural areas, helping farmers stay on their properties. The other is preparing Medically Tailored Meals.

Medically Tailored Meals is a home-delivered nutritional intervention program tailored to clients’ specific needs. According to MOW figures, among 133 million Americans, 45% of the population lives with at least one chronic disease, such as COPD, diabetes, chronic heart disease and renal disorders.

“We already offer four main diets — traditional, sugarfriendly, carb-counted and renal,” Noe said. “Medically Tailored Meals takes that to another level.”

The local Meals on Wheels is the only state agency certified for such meals.

Noe believes the MOWNWI story is “remarkable.” Started 45 years ago serving three families in Crown Point, the agency today prepares 2,000 meals daily, five days a week, for clients in seven Hoosier counties, including Lake and Porter. About 650 volunteers (“we always need more,” Noe interjected) cover 54 distribution routes. Between hours and mileage, volunteers provided $433,129 in services

Even with this growth, Noe sees the agency in grass roots terms of neighbors helping neighbors.

Noe cited research showing that when older adults have the right support, they gain greater quality of life, need fewer hospital visits and live longer.

“Nutrition and health go hand in hand,” the Crown Point resident said. “If you don’t have good nutrition to fortify the body, you won’t have good health. All of us need to eat healthy meals.”

Diet, Noe continued, has a huge impact on one’s health experience. “If you eat well, you won’t have medical issues,” she said.

Meals on Wheels has responded to clients’ needs, even during the pandemic, Noe said. “We never missed a meal delivery. We’ve been very creative in delivering meals.”

To address social distancing, the agency began offering frozen meals to clients in several counties. Meals featured the same nutritional entrees, just frozen.

“We help people stay in their homes,” Noe said. “Our volunteers bring a meal, bring company and bring relief from the challenge of living alone.”

The agency also provides a wellness check. If volunteers suspect something wrong, MOW can contact the client’s emergency provider.

The CEO is marking 37 years with MOW, having started with former Executive Director Margot Clark in 1986.

“She was an incredible mentor,” Noe said, recalling how Clark encouraged her to work toward two more college degrees. “When Margot retired, I felt I was prepared to take over.”

Noe took the reins in 2005.

Noting how young people, including her three children, are leaving the area, Noe said volunteers are needed more than ever. “Volunteering fills a void in people’s lives,” she said. “I’m very proud to have been part of the impact Meals has had in people’s lives.”

For more information on becoming a client or volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana, call (219) 756-3663 or visit mownwi. org.

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Another featured animal, one which died more recently, is Daisy, a family pet dog owned by Helen Slanger of Portage Township. Slanger had a taxidermist preserve her pet after it was killed in 1930.

Albert said visitors come looking for different things, including a military exhibit with a wedding dress from 1948. The dress was made from nylon from a World War II soldier’s parachute. Used in the making of parachutes, nylon was in short supply to civilians during the war.

Also on display is a metal vase from WWI, engraved with the names of battles from that war. From the Korean War era, the museum displays a metal ring made by Koreans and sold to U.S. soldiers.

On a back wall is a WWII memorial plaque with the engraved names of 1,146 GIs from Valparaiso. Those names marked by a star were killed in action.

In sports, the museum has a baseball playing card of Harry Danning. Named to the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, Danning was a catcher for the New York Giants. He moved to Valparaiso in 1980 and died in 2004.

“A lot of people like to explore,” Albert said. “A lot of people did not know we existed.”

Another interesting feature is a cash register dated 1914 from Wark’s Hardware Store in Valparaiso. The National Cash Register device was broken into twice and today cannot be opened.

The museum offered activities, including scavenger hunts and information about stores in the nearby courthouse square.

As for the former museum, Albert said the county plans to renovate the building so it is “structurally sound for another 100 years.”

The Porter County Museum is located at 20 N. Indiana St., Valparaiso. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. To learn more, call (219) 501-1836, or visit pocomuse.org.

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