Pleasant Hills / South Park area Meals on Wheels feeds those who need it most .
Catering to the
Pleasant Hills / South Park area Meals on Wheels feeds those who need it most .
By W . B . Fresa
Pleasant Hills / South Park area MOWs volunteers prepare cold foods in kitchen for clients ; when finished , they will then prepare hot foods to be taken to clients in insulated bags by volunteer drivers and delivery persons .
From left are : Marcia Nesti , Ginny Kasserman , Pam Mason ( CEO , site coordinator , and cook ), Karen Dollens , and Sherry Cypher Pastorius .
As director of the Pleasant Hills / South Park area Meals on Wheels ( MOWs ), Pam Mason welcomed 40 children and their parents into her facility for a tour .
“ The kids were second through fourth graders from Bethel Park who were learning about volunteerism . I showed them all about what we do and they also brought in canned goods to donate to our pantry ,” says Mason . “ They were very excited to be here . I showed them the kitchen and how we cook the food . I also had a craft table set up so the kids could make a placemat for our clients to use at home . And they asked terrific questions — one that stood out to me : ‘ Why do these people need food ?’ I was a little taken aback because it never dawned on me anyone wouldn ’ t know that some people don ’ t always have easy access to food .”
But of course Mason knows why all too well . As a 30-year volunteer , and now director , program manager and cook for the Pleasant Hills / South Park MOWs , she can answer that question in her sleep .
“ Most of our clients are elderly , late 80s and 90s , and they are either immobile , can no longer drive , have no family close by or no family at all . So that ’ s where we step in . We visit them once a day , Monday through Friday , and deliver three meals , breakfast , lunch and dinner to help keep them fed and make sure they ’ re OK ,” she explains . “ It ’ s the most rewarding work I ’ ve ever done .”
It ’ s rewarding for the clients , too . Currently , the Pleasant Hills / South Park MOWs lists 75 clients on its roster . While it delivers to only 55 on a daily basis , it ’ s still a large client list that covers areas in Bethel Park , Baldwin , Jefferson Hills , Whitehall and all of Pleasant Hills and South Park . And Mason admits none of it would be possible without the 100 volunteers .
“ I couldn ’ t do my job without them ,” she says . “ Their loyalty to this program and the clients is without bounds . They use their own cars , pay their own gas and do everything out of the goodness of their hearts . They are wonderful people .”
The food prepared for the clients is also a labor of love cooked by Mason and some of the volunteers . She cooks in a county-certified kitchen in the basement of Grace Lutheran
SP MOWs volunteers assemble food packages for clients . More than 35,000 such packages were distributed last year .
Food constantly arrives from area stores and food banks to MOWs ’ storage area . Contributions of food ( or cash to purchase food ) are always welcome , as are volunteers to put food in the storage area .
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“ It ’ s the most rewarding work