IM's Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving Frequently Asked Questions
Questions
- What is IM's Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving?
- How do I participate?
- I can't volunteer on Thanksgiving day. Can I still help?
- Can you please describe the types of volunteers?
- Where is the event?
- What time can I pick up my delivery route?
- What if my group (5 or more people) wants to volunteer together to deliver meals on Thanksgiving day?
- When is the deadline to reserve a delivery route?
- What do I need to bring?
- Where do we park?
- Can I bring my family? Is this a kid friendly event?
- How long will it take me to deliver my route?
- How should I dress?
- Can I have a route in my part of town?
- What do I do if I get lost while delivering meals on Thanksgiving day?
- I brought a pie, dressing, stuffing, candy (extra food in general.) Can I give it to the seniors?
- What are the procedures for dropping off the food to the senior?
- What is new this year?
- Do I have to fundraise to participate?
- What is a fundraising team?
- In which zip codes can I deliver?
Please note to reserve a delivery route, you must register as a delivery driver. For each delivery driver registration, we will reserve one route only. If you have multiple cars in your team, each car driver must register and join your team to reserve a route.
- What is IM's Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving?
Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving is an opportunity for the city of Houston and neighboring Galveston County to participate in delivering Meals on Wheels to homebound seniors on Thanksgiving Day. We need volunteers to deliver meals and work at the distribution sites. If you cannot volunteer on Thanksgiving Day, you can still help seniors by signing up to fundraise and help provide meals on Thanksgiving Day and beyond!
- How do I participate?
Sign-up online and chose your volunteer type (delivery driver, onsite volunteer or fundraise only.) Visit your fundraising center frequently to email your family and friends and ask for their help in providing holiday meals for seniors on Thanksgiving day and beyond.
- I can't volunteer on Thanksgiving day. Can I still help?
Yes! You can sign-up to fundraise via the homepage. You can create a personal page in the participant center and email your family and friends and ask for their help providing holiday meals for seniors on Thanksgiving day and beyond. Here are some fun ideas to help you raise money to feed seniors!
- Can you please describe the types of volunteers?
- Volunteer Delivery Vehicle Driver—volunteer to deliver meals to 2-3 homebound seniors in Houston on Thanksgiving Day.
- Volunteer at the Distribution site—set-up tents, check-in delivery drivers, assist with post event clean-up, help staff event tents, etc.
- Fundraise even if you can't be there on Thanksgiving Day, you can still fundraise on behalf of homebound seniors and help provide 11,000-holiday meals to seniors
- Where is the event?
Houston Location - The event will be held in the north parking lot of First Presbyterian Church at 5300 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004. Galveston County - The event will be held at the Wayne Johnson Community Center, 4102 Main Street, LaMarque, TX 77568. Please arrive by 9 am to claim your delivery route, all unclaimed routes as of 10 am will be given away to other volunteers.
- What time can I pick up my delivery route?
We will begin passing out delivery routes at 9 am. All unclaimed routes after 10 am will be given to other volunteers.
- What if my group (5 or more people) wants to volunteer together to deliver meals on Thanksgiving day?
Groups are encouraged to volunteer and fundraise together. However, for each delivery vehicle in your party, there must be a separate and unique registration to reserve a delivery route. Meaning if you have 5 cars in your party, you must have 5 delivery driver registrations. Each registration reserves only one delivery route (made-up of 2-3 seniors' homes.) If you would like to deliver in only one car, only one registration is needed.
It is possible to have people on your team who cannot deliver, they can still sign-up to help in your team's fundraising efforts.
- When is the deadline to reserve a delivery route?
The deadline to reserve a delivery route is Friday, November 17th at 5 pm or until all available routes have been reserved. If you wish to deliver meals and you did not reserve a route, please come to one of the distribution sites (First Presbyterian Church - 5300 Main, Houston) or (Wayne Johnson Center - 4102 Main Street, LaMarque) at 10 am to pick-up an unclaimed route.
- What do I need to bring?
- To participate as a volunteer delivery vehicle driver, you must bring 2 coolers. One cooler will be used for the hot portion of the meal and the second cooler will be used for the cold portion of the meal. They should be large enough to fit 5-10 TV dinners. If you forget to bring your coolers, we will have coolers for sale at the distribution site on a first come, first serve basis.
- Please plan to bring a GPS system. Directions will be provided for your route, but many volunteers find a GPS system helpful should they become lost.
- We are collecting donations for aniMeals on Wheels -- please bring pet food donations!
- Where do we park?
Houston Location - Parking will be available in a section of the north parking lot and there will also be street parking. Galveston County Location - Parking will be available in the community center parking lot. There will also be volunteers present directing traffic at both locations.
- Can I bring my family? Is this a kid friendly event?
Families and children are welcome. We will have an area for children to participate in games and to make Thanksgiving cards for the seniors you will visit on Thanksgiving Day.
- How long will it take me to deliver my route?
The deliveries will take no more than a couple of hours. Volunteers should be done with the pickup and delivery process by 2 pm.
- How should I dress?
Please dress comfortably in closed toed shoes. Event t-shirts will be on sale at the event.
- Can I have a route in my part of town?
We try to accommodate your preference for the area of delivery based on the information that is given during registration. We will ask for your top choice and will do our best to provide a route in this area. The areas of most need are in the central, northeast, and southeast parts of Houston.
- What do I do if I get lost while delivering meals on Thanksgiving Day?
If you happen to get lost or have difficulties finding the senior's address, you can call our Thanksgiving Hotline. These phone numbers will be provided on Thanksgiving Day.
- I brought a pie, dressing, stuffing, candy (extra food in general.) Can I give it to the seniors?
The official rule is that only the provided meals can be served to seniors on behalf of IM. If you choose to give seniors extra food, be sure the senior knows it's from you and not IM or Meals on Wheels.
- What are the procedures for dropping off the food to the senior?
When you drop off the meals:
- Call before heading to the senior's home. If the phone is disconnected, you may go straight to the address.
- Ring the doorbell, knock loudly, and say "Meals on Wheels." Wait for a few minutes to allow the individual to get to the door. Many of our seniors move slowly and can take several minutes to come to the door.
- When the senior opens the door, hand them the hot and cold portion of the meal. You are welcome to visit with them for a few minutes.
- If the senior is not home do not leave a meal at the door. If someone is not home, take the meals with you and ask the next person on your route if they would like an extra meal.
- Please only give the number of meals at each home that were allotted on your route sheet to ensure you do not run out of meals.
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What is new this year?
This Thanksgiving we have added a second site in the Galveston County area to accommodate the growing number of seniors we serve! Now more than ever, homebound seniors need your help. Which is why we are asking you to help us raise $55,000 to provide 11,000-holiday meals to seniors in need. For every $5 you give or help fundraise, IM's Meals on Wheels can provide one senior with a holiday meal. We will also be collecting pet food donations at the event for our aniMeals on Wheels program. Top -
Do I have to fundraise to participate?
You do not have to fundraise to participate. But, more than ever, homebound seniors need your help. Which is why we are asking you to help us raise $55,000 to provide 11,000 holidays meals to seniors in need. For every $5 you give, IM's Meals on Wheels can provide a senior with a holiday meal.
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What is a fundraising team?
A fundraising team is a great way to maximize your fundraising! By using the fundraising team tool, you and your team can work together to raise even more funds to help provide holiday meals to seniors. Teams are a great way to propel your toward your fundraising goal and help even more seniors this Thanksgiving. Please note: for each volunteer delivery vehicle in your party, you must complete a separate and unique volunteer delivery driver registration.
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Where can I deliver?
There are a total of 150 delivery zip codes. Below is a comprehensive list of delivery zip codes in ascending order.77002, 77003, 77004, 77006, 77007, 77008, 77009, 77011, 77012, 77013, 77014, 77015, 77016, 77017, 77018, 77019, 77020, 77021, 77022, 77023, 77024, 77026, 77027, 77028, 77029, 77032, 77033, 77034, 77035, 77036, 77037, 77040, 77041, 77042, 77043, 77044, 77045, 77047, 77048, 77049, 77050, 77051, 77053, 77054, 77055, 77056, 77057, 77058, 77060, 77061, 77062, 77063, 77064, 77065, 77066, 77067, 77069, 77070, 77071, 77072, 77073, 77074, 77075, 77076, 77077, 77078, 77079, 77080, 77081, 77082, 77083, 77084, 77085, 77086, 77087, 77088, 77089, 77090, 77091, 77092, 77093, 77094, 77095, 77096, 77098, 77099, 77301, 77303, 77304, 77306, 77316, 77318, 77327, 77328, 77336, 77338, 77339, 77345, 77346, 77354, 77355, 77356, 77357, 77365, 77368, 77372, 77373, 77375, 77378, 77379, 77381, 77384, 77385, 77386, 77388, 77396, 77429, 77433, 77449, 77450, 77493, 77494, 77504, 77506, 77518, 77520, 77530, 77532, 77535, 77536, 77539, 77546, 77547, 77550, 77551, 77562, 77563, 77565, 77568, 77573, 77575, 77586, 77587, 77590, 77591, 77598, 77650
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