Reid, an Aledo native, is a volunteer with Parker County’s Meals on Wheels organization, which works to provide both hot and frozen ready to eat meals to seniors who are homebound or have trouble getting and preparing meals for themselves.
She delivers sets of frozen meals to the clients on her route in Aledo, which she said came to her at the perfect time. After quitting teaching for 20 years and getting her real estate license, her old classmate and coordinator for Meals on Wheels, Kim Boone, called saying the closed route in Aledo that Reid had volunteered to take years ago, was opening up again.
“I think it was kind of fate and a God thing that I quit teaching, and I got to get the Aledo route,” she said.
Preparation and delivery
The meals she delivers are carefully prepared in the kitchens at Parker County Committee on Aging’s Senior Center overseen by kitchen manager Gilbert Rivera, who used to also deliver for the program.
He said they prepare more than 300 meals a day for Meals on Wheels and the center, and he likes to see people getting fed, especially after seeing some of the conditions of the clients he delivered to in 2016-2019.
“A lot of them, if it wasn’t for us, they probably wouldn’t eat,” he said.
Kirsti Smith, executive director of Meals on Wheels and the Parker County Senior Center, said they currently serve an average of 250 clients at a time, with 100 volunteers to deliver the meals to their homes. They currently do not have a wait list and do their best to assess each case that applies to the program.
Smith said the meals are based on a registered dietician menu so that it meets all the necessary food groups. Some dishes on the menu include chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and desserts like Jell-O and spiced peaches. Hot meals are delivered daily Monday-Friday, and frozen meals are delivered once a week on Thursday with five full meal sets per person.
Giving hearts
With the uncertainty that the Tarrant County Meals on Wheels experienced with a $1.6 million budget cut last October and then a possible additional $450,000 cut that was reversed in May, Smith said that while they are always concerned about cuts, the community is generous enough that they don’t rely strictly on government funding.
“Parker County in general, they have such giving hearts,” she said. “They’re always willing to step in when we need something, whether it’s repairs to the building or we need additional food for our food pantry. So, of course, the worry is always there. But thankfully, we know that we have a community behind us that are going to support us, and we’re just going to do everything we can as long as we can.”
Doing everything they can for as long as they can is a sentiment that Reid echoes, saying she hopes to continue her route until she can’t anymore.
She delivers to six to seven houses on average and says she tries to do what she can to help her seniors, going above and beyond setting the meals in the freezer and chatting for a bit.
Kids at heart
From taking the trash out to the curb at the end of a street, to playing with the family’s dog, to even bringing the Grinch with her to hand out the meals and presents during Christmas time, she said she wants to see the smile on their faces.
“They’re just kids at heart, and they love to have the Grinch come by or the Easter Bunny,” Reid said. “I just told my daughter, ‘Why don’t you wear the Grinch suit?’”
Her daughter, Kalee Savage, said that even though she was having a bad start that day, seeing the seniors not only smile but cry when she surprised them put everything into perspective for her about what’s important in life.
“No matter how big the town grows, there’s always people that are going to be there in your corner to help you and to lend a hand,” she said. “It’s just nice to see that community and that sort of giving back to the people gave to us.”
Beverly Powell, who’s on Reid’s route, said that having the food is helpful in their household because she and her husband have diabetes.
“It cuts down on me having to cook, and it gives [my husband] a nutritious meal,” she said.
Sandra Burrow, whose husband George receives the meals, said that while they can go buy food, this option is preferable.
“My husband is 91, and he’s getting to the point that he shouldn’t be doing very much driving, so it helps,” she said.
But Burrows said that seeing Reid when she comes to deliver the meals is her favorite part about the day.
Reid said her favorite day of the week is Thursday now because of how rewarding she believes this work is. She hopes more people learn about Meals on Wheels and the good it does for the community.
“It’s a wonderful program, I wish more people would get involved in it because of just the way it makes the people feel, just the smiles they have,” she said.
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