On a hot and sunny Thursday, IXL volunteers arrived at Meals on Wheels of Durham to assemble and deliver meals to homebound residents of the community. This was IXL’s third consecutive year working with the nonprofit, which is committed to enriching the lives of homebound adults and helping them remain independent for as long as possible. With this great mission in mind, IXL was excited to get involved once again!

IXLers worked with other Meals on Wheels volunteers to package up nearly 400 nutritious hot and cold meals. The day’s menu consisted of stuffed bell peppers, carrots, baked apples, milk, and bread. There were also shelf meals, which contained various canned foods, crackers, and beverages. 

Once the meals were prepped and packed up, some of IXL’s volunteers headed out into the community to do a delivery route, bringing meals to 17 clients. The IXL volunteers were deeply touched by the gratitude and good nature of the recipients. It was wonderful to see how happy they were not only to receive the meals, but also to have a brief and meaningful chat. This social interaction is a key part of the service Meals on Wheels provides and was a tremendously rewarding experience for everyone involved that day!

“Packing and delivering food for Meals on Wheels really helped bring home the problem of food insecurity in my local community,” said Zack MacHardy, an IXL software engineer. “I feel like our work here has had a concrete, positive impact on people’s lives, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to help out.”

Meals on Wheels of Durham was founded in 1975 as a result of the community’s desire to aid their homebound residents in meeting their nutritional needs. While the first volunteers served about a dozen clients at the time, Meals on Wheels of Durham has seen an exponential amount of growth over the years. Thanks to the work and dedication of everyone involved, they are now able to serve more than 500 Durham County residents each day! 

To learn more about Meals on Wheels of Durham and find out how you can volunteer, visit https://www.mowdurham.org/. 

—Cristen Saunders, Senior Membership Specialist