July 2, 2019
“I knew I needed an activity to get me up in the morning and out the door,” says Peter Nieft of his decision to volunteer with Meals on Wheels Central Texas.
At the time, Peter had just retired from 3M after nearly 40 years on the job. He wasn’t quite sure if volunteering for us was going to be the right fit for him. So, he signed up to be a substitute driver once a week to find out. It didn’t take long for him to realize he was in the right place.
Three years later, he now delivers meals Monday through Wednesday out of our St. Mark’s United Methodist Church distribution site, and serves as a substitute driver on Thursdays and Fridays. “I’d say, on average, I deliver about four times per week,” he says of his rather impressive efforts.
On top of all that, Peter also donates his time and compassion to our Groceries to Go program, a shopping service that matches volunteers with seniors who have no reliable or consistent help with grocery shopping.
Whether he’s delivering meals or groceries, Peter enjoys interacting with the seniors he serves. “Some of them just really don’t have much. I try to be positive and cheery and sometimes that brightens their day and that’s worthwhile. I think sometimes when you’re down, that can help,” he says.
Peter’s passing along his love for volunteering to his grandchildren, Cody and Kailey. When school’s not in session, he takes them along to visit with his clients. “They [his grandchildren] enjoy it and I think they’ve gotten a sense of giving back and helping others,” Peter says.