Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels Launches Innovative Training Wheels Program to Engage Future Volunteers
In an innovative move designed to attract and engage potential volunteers, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels (FBS) has launched the Training Wheels Program. This distinctive initiative allows community members to experience firsthand what volunteering with FBS entails before making a commitment.
The FBS, which has been operating since 1974, has an unwavering commitment to supporting the independence of senior citizens by providing nutritious meals and fostering social connections. As a United Way agency, the organization emphasizes enriching the quality of life for seniors through valuable services and resources.
Under the Training Wheels Program, community members can check out how it feels to deliver meals to senior citizens in need by joining a ride-along experience with a seasoned FBS staff driver.
Accommodating up to four participants per ride, these ride-alongs, available once a month on Wednesdays, promise an intimate and interactive experience. The program commences and wraps up at the Bud O’Shieles distribution center in Rosenberg and runs from 9 AM to around 1 PM.
Upon completion of the ride-along experience, those intrigued and enthused by their firsthand experience can then apply to become an official volunteer. Signing up involves attending a volunteer orientation, the next step to becoming a committed member of the FBS volunteer team.
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"Our volunteers are the backbone of our program, and with Training Wheels, we hope to give potential volunteers a clear understanding of the invaluable role they play," said Doug Simpson, Executive Director of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.
Every year, FBS serves more than 2,300 seniors across Fort Bend and Waller counties, delivering approximately 422,000 meals. As food insecurity and social isolation increasingly impact seniors' well-being, the FBS services are becoming more essential than ever.
In addition to meal delivery, FBS provides daily hot meals to over 1,100 senior citizens, many of whom live alone and cannot prepare their meals. It also offers meals to over 600 older adults from seven senior centers, along with transportation to and from these centers, health screenings, and recreational activities.
For those who wish to sign up for the Training Wheels Program or wish to learn more about volunteering with FBS, visit fortbendseniors.org/volunteer or call 281-633-7053.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
