In Moose Jaw, the Meals on Wheels community program has been operating for over 30 years and is there to help deliver to those that may not otherwise have access to healthy and nutritious meals.  

Meals are delivered by volunteers and due to COVID-19 restrictions and safety concerns, Meals on Wheels didn’t have the workforce they usually had. Now, with restrictions lifted, the program is on the hunt for more volunteers. 

“We could use a lot of volunteers and there’s a lot of flexibility, it’s not like you have to do a week at a time, I have people that do a day every couple of weeks,” says John Paul Hickie, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Volunteer Coordinator in Moose Jaw.

The SHA Home Care program runs from Monday-Saturday in Moose Jaw and has two routes to cover the whole city but with COVID, the program only had enough volunteers to use three days a week. For the other three days, Home Care continuing care aides would deliver meals.  

Hickie says for volunteers it’s a 45 minutes to an hour commitment each day. Meals on Wheels is looking for individuals, couples, and groups to apply to volunteer. Coordinators try and make the routes circular and logical for efficiency. The meals are made at the Pioneer Lodge on Albert Street and dispersed to volunteers for delivery.  

The most important requirements are a vehicle and a driver’s license. If enough volunteers sign up, more routes can be done by the SHA volunteer services.

Those wishing to volunteer can call Hickie at 306-691-6508 or visit the SHA website to fill out an application.  

John Paul Hickey Aug 30_0.jpg John Paul Hickie, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Volunteer Coordinator in Moose Jaw.