February 4, 2020
“Is Meals on Wheels Central Texas more than Meals on Wheels? Yes it is,” says 64-year-old John Riley.
Mr. Riley and his wife, Eunice, began receiving our free services in 2017 when they moved from Houston to Austin to be near their daughter. “She’s a nurse and because of our health, she wanted to be close to us so she could assist us,” explains Ms. Riley who is a cancer survivor and has had two heart attacks. She and Mr. Riley also both cope with diabetes and hypertension.
Our dedicated volunteers hand-deliver hot nutritious meals, friendly conversation, and vital safety checks to their Southeast Austin apartment. But as Mr. Riley says, our assistance doesn’t end there. The couple also receives help through our Groceries to Go program and our Handy Wheels program provided them with a new doorbell after their old one broke.
When the couple’s electric and water bills threatened to overwhelm their fixed income, MOWCTX Case Manager Morgan Morrison helped them enroll in Austin Energy’s Customer Assistance Program which provides discounts on their utilities. “Morgan is very efficient,” says Mr. Riley.
Asked what Meals on Wheels Central Texas means to her, Ms. Riley says, with tears in her eyes, “there are not enough words to express how I feel because it’s been a blessing in so many ways. It’s like a life change for us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”