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Issue 8|Volume 7

Dear Friends, The past several months have been uncertain for everyone, but at Meals on Wheels Diablo Region, we continue to work hard for our seniors who depend on us to deliver meals and services. While we do this important work, we are facing the uncertainty of government funding cuts. We continue to be hopeful because of the support we receive from an incredibly generous community. It is inspiring to see how the community comes together to help our senior neighbors. I am personally inspired by the young people who are stepping forward to help out the generation that came before them. Whether they help by making masks, or teaching tennis, young people are giving back in incredibly creative ways. I think you will be as moved as I am when you see how our community comes together to help the people Meals on Wheels Diablo Region serves.       Caitlin Sly Executive Director

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Care Management won't take "No" for an answer Feeding his soul Meals on Wheels Diablo Region hires new Finance Director Pampering our seniors Pitching in during a pandemic Skipolini's honors our volunteers Teens close to making their goal! Thanks for making a difference

CARE MANAGEMENT TEAM WON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN ANSWER

Everyone knows Meals on Wheels Diablo Region delivers food to seniors, but few are aware of the help we give through our Care Management team. Care Management Director, Rosa Loya, shared the story of a senior we serve who also needed our help when it looked like he might lose his home. “Due to his limited income he could no longer manage to pay the mortgage. He even sold his car to generate cash to help with his finances.” The MOW Diablo Region Care Management team worked with him for over six months and exhausted all possible resources. “I was determined to save this client’s home from foreclosure,” said Loya.

In May, the Care Management team received a grant from United Way of the Bay Area to help with his mortgage debts. We continue to help him manage his housing issues in addition to receiving meals and groceries from Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. Financial stress in seniors can lead to isolation, depression, and other health-related problems. Each year, over 9,000 families call Meals on Wheels Diablo Region looking for assistance. We are here to help! If you would like to learn more about our Care Management services visit https://www.mowdiabloregion.org/care-management .

FEEDING HIS SOUL

Justin Charnetski is a goal-setter and every year he works hard to make sure he accomplishes the goals he has set.  With the outbreak of Covid-19, Justin’s help came when it was needed most: “I was happy to jump in!” Justin moved to the Walnut Creek area six years ago from Philadelphia, where he was introduced to Meals on Wheels through his father. “At the age of 60, my father volunteered to be a driver at the Philadelphia region of Meals on Wheels,” says Justin. “He loved telling us about the people and friendships he made on his route. His experiences made me want to volunteer for Meals on Wheels Diablo Region.” Recently, Justin went out on his first delivery. He came across an elderly woman who needed something very simple. “She asked if I had any milk and

said she had been out of it for weeks.” Justin dropped off his delivery and explained to the lady that he would let his supervisor know. On the drive home, what the woman said weighed on his heart. So, he pulled into a convenience store and purchased 2 gallons of milk for the woman. “I called and told her I was coming back and not to be alarmed. I assured her that I had her milk and would leave them outside her front door.” Justin believes that volunteering with MOW Diablo Region really puts life into perspective. “The clients MOW Diablo Region serves survived the Depression and World War II. They know what sacrifice is. I take things for granted like having food in my cabinet or being able to go to the grocery store. Seeing the impact I have on someone’s life…for me, it feeds the soul.”

MEALS ON WHEELS DIABLO REGION HIRES NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR

Meals on Wheels Diablo Region is pleased to welcome Nancy Sorensen to our team as Finance Director. Nancy has thirty years of financial management experience and brings a wealth of knowledge to the organization. Nancy has previously served as interim Finance Director for Pix System LLC, Financial Reporting Manager for CSAA Insurance Group, and as a financial consultant and business analyst for numerous nonprofits. She is a certified public accountant with a degree from University of California and has completed post-graduate accounting classes at Golden State University. She specializes in accountant management, financial accounting and reporting, budgeting, internal controls and process improvement, and financial analysis. “We are looking forward to working with Nancy,” explains Caitlin Sly, Executive Director. “Her knowledge and financial acumen offers an outstanding level of professionalism and leadership to Meals on Wheels Diablo Region.”

PAMPERING OUR SENIORS

In these stressful times, everyone deserves a little pampering and Sukhjit Basi and her son, Shaan, thought that was especially true for vulnerable seniors who are isolated during the pandemic. “We realized there was a need to pamper our elderly neighbors,” said Sukhjit. Together they raised $700 to provide “Pamper Packs” to our clients. Pamper Packs contain toilet paper, lotion, socks, puzzle books, tissues, and other goodies wrapped in decorative bags that provide the ultimate pampering experience! The inspiration to volunteer with Meals on Wheels Diablo Region came from family friend, Loretta Merrill. “Loretta lived alone in Pasadena, but delivered meals to seniors well into her 90s,” explained Sukhjit. “Shaan and I wanted to continue her work. It’s important to take care and honor our elderly. The Pamper Packs help fulfill that value for me and my son.”

Sukhjit Basi and her son, Shaan

PITCHING IN DURING A PANDEMIC

Teenager Matthew Hutchinson donated 800 hand-made masks for our clients here at Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. This was part of his Eagle Scout service project. Thank you, Matthew and his family, for supporting our seniors during this pandemic.

Skipolini’s Honors our Volunteers A huge thank you to Skipolini’s Pizza owners Kent and Yvette, who donated gift cards to volunteers who have been on the front lines of this pandemic. The gift cards were mailed out to our volunteer drivers who have delivered the most meals during the pandemic. MOW Diablo Region also thanks our volunteers Ed and Cecilia Hartley for helping arrange the gift card reward program.

Teens Close to Making Their Goal!!!!!

Last month, we reported on Jake Hammerman and his friends starting Impactful Tennis to benefit MOW Diablo Region. As of today, Jake and his friends, Zach Snyder, Mattie Ceridono, Ivan Zemsky, and Jon-Marc Mosher are close to making their $10,000 goal that will help MOW Diablo Region deliver meals to our vulnerable seniors. When Covid-19 completely rearranged Jake’s summer plans, he could have just dwelled on the inconvenience; instead, he saw it as an opportunity to make a positive impact. Jake and his friends chose to spend their summer giving back to the community through the sport of tennis. They founded Impactful Tennis, which allows high school varsity tennis players to offer tennis lessons to younger kids, in exchange for a donation to Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. For more information on Impactful Tennis, visit https://impactfultennis.org .

THANKS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE

We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our community during this pandemic, including the support we received from corporations and foundations who stepped up to help us and the vulnerable seniors who depend on our delivered meals and services. We’d like to send a special thank you to the following:

Antioch Community Foundation City of Brentwood East Bay Community Foundation John Muir Health John Muir Community Health Fund Justice, Justice Foundation Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation Lafayette Community Foundation Marathon Petroleum Co. Martinez Refining Company Meals on Wheels America Pacific Gas and Electric Company Pinpoint Foundation Republic Services Safeway / Albertson's Foundation May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust State Compensation Insurance Fund United Way Bay Area Westamerica Bank

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