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debodun

debodun

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Location
way upstate in New York, USA
Just a rant:

As some of you know, I work part-time in our county's meals-on-wheels service. Since early April, the place where I ordinarily pick up the meals, which is about 2 miles from my home, was closed. There is no word on when or if it will re-open. When I ask the meal site supervisor how much longer we will have to use the alternate meal site, she just shrugs or says "I have no idea."

In the meantime, this requires that the drivers that work this particular route to travel about 8 miles further (one-way, 16 miles round trip plus making that again to return the food hampers - an extra 32 miles) to pick up the food trays at an alternate site. This makes it quite hectic and crowded at the new site because this is where drivers from other routes also pick up the meals. Sometimes there are so many cars and vans in the narrow drive-thru, I have to wait until someone else leaves before I can exit.

Added to this is a new client that technically doesn't even live within the community and resides just over the town line, but necessitates another 10 mile "detour". I called the county and asked why this client was put on the route and the agent said that they had done the logistics and she is actually nearer to my town than it would be for the meal driver from the adjacent town had to go there.

Two of the other delivery drivers that work this route quit because of the extra miles encumbered and the three of us left have to take up the slack (I was asked to deliver three times last week). I hate to quit just because of this minor inconvenience. I know people need food and they can't help where they live, but I am now driving a 50-mile route, encompassing 13 clients, and using a third of a tank of gas every time I do it. Strictly volunteer, too.

What would you do?
 

I'd chalk it up to fact and consider the good I was doing in my community to help people who need the help. Karma awaits and thank you for your service..
 
Deb I think you answered your own question when you said:

"I hate to quit just because of this minor inconvenience. I know people need food and they can't help where they live...."

I sympathize with the inconvenience of added mileage! Especially since you do this from the kindness of your heart.
 

Deb, if you can afford the fuel and the time as a volunteer, than I think that you should continue delivering. It does sound unfair that you have an extra 10 mile detour, and you'll have to keep your eye on the ball with that since your agent could easily take advantage of your good nature and add even further addresses onto your round, and then if I were you, that would be the time I'd firmly say No... but in the meantime, if you can manage it, and you're fit enough, then carry on, and just remember that those housebound people, will not only look forward to having a meal delivered but without volunteers like you, they may never have a hot meal , so on their behalf, thank you for your unselfish acts!!
 
Deb, if I were you, I'd do what I wanted to do. You obviously like to help out or you wouldn't have started doing it in the first place. If it's too big of a burden and is more than a "minor inconvenience" then drop out and let them figure out a way to make it easier on the drivers. I know it takes more gas and time and only you can decide if you can afford that or not. Aren't the miles tax deductible?

I have to go 40 miles round trip 2 or 3 times a week just to buy food for us to eat or see our local doctor so it's just something no one but you can decide on.

I've been real hungry in my life, it's a powerful thing. Also I would guess a lot of those people are looking for the human contact, not just the meal.
 
I'd take the pragmatic approach: Can you afford the tank of gasoline (3x1/3) each week? Do you have the time to spare, three times a week, to drive the fifty miles? If the answer to either question is "No," it's time to get out. If everything is OK, time and budget-wise, then you should keep doing what you're doing for the positive feelings you get from helping others who are in need.
 
treeguy64 said:
I'd take the pragmatic approach: Can you afford the tank of gasoline (3x1/3) each week? Do you have the time to spare, three times a week, to drive the fifty miles? If the answer to either question is "No," it's time to get out. If everything is OK, time and budget-wise, then you should keep doing what you're doing for the positive feelings you get from helping others who are in need.
Click to expand...

Agree with TreeGuy. Figure out those things, then decide. There may be other volunteer things you can do closer to home.
 
Deb I think you're an angel to give of your time and money in this way to help others who might otherwise go hungry. I wish there were more people like you in the world. It would be a better place for us all. :love_heart:
 
Deb, I'm not going to address the needs of the clients or the charity, because it's a given that this is a worthwhile cause. My remarks concern your relationship with the act of volunteering for them. I delivered twice a week for ten years with a program quite similar to Meals On Wheels so I understand the various perspectives: yours, your clients', and your county's.

Ten years with a single charity was a long time for me - I'd never intended to make such a long-term commitment to this charity, but as people with volunteerism in their blood can attest, reliable unpaid workers are so hard to come by that most organizations would love to get a "you'll volunteer till death do us part" clause. Signed in blood and notarized. That's true of churches, charities, social clubs, home owners associations, whatever. Not a criticism, merely an observation. Keeping vacant volunteer positions filled is so difficult and distracting that non-profits learn how to push the guilt buttons in order to retain their unpaid staffs.

Many years ago someone told me that the best barometer to finding an appropriate level of volunteering is whether I can say "No" without guilt and "Yes" without feeling resentment.

Sounds to me like you're feeling resentful. You might want to do some soul-searching to decide what works for you. Are you willing to drive only X far and no further? Need to cut it down to twice a week? Take a break from delivering to see if you get your mojo back? Maybe look into a different type of volunteering?

Whatever it is, decide what will bring you joy, then talk to your supervisor about what you're willing to do, and stick to your guns.
 
Deb,
I do the same delivery as you for our local meals on wheels. There is a considerable difference though. As you might expect, those that are receiving the meals change often. Some drop out others are added. Some in high rise apartments others in rural flats. We have a route manager that we receive our printed route instructions from as well as a pick ticket. The route manager has a route planning program that each of the addresses is plugged into and the number of drivers. From that information, the program determines the number of routes necessary with a mileage cap of 15 miles. If the miles exceed that, more drivers are called in, if no other drivers are available, they ask for volunteers to increase their travel route. The program helps a tremendous amount. As a suggestion, you might as if that program is available to balance the burden and make it a bit easier for everyone. Appreciate your service.
 
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