Volunteer Drivers

Pick Up and Delivery Procedures

Meals should be picked up at the Meals On Wheels (1621 South 25th Street) between 10:45am and 11:00am on your assigned delivery day.

• Check the route sheet for that day. It contains the names of clients on your route, as well as their addresses and directions to their homes. Note: Changes can occur weekly on each route, so please look over the list of stops for the day. Deliver only to clients listed on the route sheet.
• Most deliveries consists of two components, a hot meal and a cold meal. Hot and cold components are packed in separate bags.
• When returning bags, please return any ice packs that are inside.
• Before leaving to deliver your meals, please make sure that the delivery bags you have taken each contain the correct number of hot entrees and cold portions. This will prevent a return trip and subsequent late delivery of meals.
• Please call the Meals on Wheels office (812-232-3878)  if there are any clients who will not answer the door or are not at home on your route.

Special Instructions

• Client not at home - If a client does not answer the door, please note on the route sheet if there are special instructions about where to leave the client's meal in case he/she is not at home. If you still can't locate the client or there are no instructions on who to leave the meal with, please leave the meal and notify the Meals on Wheels office. Staff will follow up on the client's safety and whereabouts.
• Medical emergencies - If you should ever arrive to find a client in immediate need of medical attention or on the floor, please call 911! Do not attempt to move the client or perform any medical procedures yourself. Stay with the client until help arrives and call the Meals on Wheels office to report the incident.
• Contributions - Sometimes clients may wish to make a contribution to the Meals on Wheels program by sending it along with a volunteer. If you receive a contribution from a client, please return it to the office and give it to a member of our staff.
• Volunteer safety - If you encounter an unsafe situation on the route you are delivering, do not deliver the meal. You are to use your discretion and judgment to determine for yourself if you feel unsafe. Please notify the office if such a situation occurs and or call 911 if need be.
• Absences - Meals on Wheels realizes that unexpected events may arise which prevent you from delivering a route on your assigned day. If you will not be able to deliver meals on your assigned day please notify the office as soon as possible so a substitute driver can be found.
• If you notice anything unusual on the route or a change in the condition of a client - Also, please inform the Meals on Wheels office of anything unusual on the route such as incorrect directions or if you have observed a change in the condition of the client. Meals on Wheels always follows up on these reports.
• If you are unsure about how to handle a situation - If at any time during your service with the Meals on Wheels program a situation arises where you are unsure of the appropriate course of action, please call the Meals on Wheels office at 812-232-3878.

Client Confidentiality

Volunteers must be aware of the confidential nature of client information, which must be observed for the protection of the client, the volunteer, and the Meals on Wheels program. Do not reveal clients' names or personal matters to anyone other than Meals on Wheels staff members.
Inclement Weather Procedures

• We try to deliver meals Monday through Friday in all weather.
• In Special Situations meals are Not delivered when roads are considered unsafe driving conditions. We will Not Deliver if  a "STATE of EMERGENCY" is declared.
• If you are uncertain about whether the Meals on Wheels office will be open, please phone the office at 812-232-3878 to confirm cancellation prior to venturing out into unsafe driving conditions.

Helpful Reminders

• Address each client using his/her name.
• Let them know what the hot meal is for the day (we write that on a sign near bag pick up each day).
• Show genuine interest in each client, and be a good listener.
• Speak clearly and audibly, as many clients are hard of hearing.
• Be optimistic and confident.
• Do not direct the conversation towards a client's illness or disability.
• Do not give your home telephone number to clients, and refrain from using your own money to meet a client's needs.
• Smile!