LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Every September, Lubbock Meals on Wheels and Sonic restaurants team up for ‘Big Wheels Deliver Meals’.
The goal is to raise public awareness and involve local celebrities and community leaders. Volunteers pick a Lubbock Meals on Wheels route and are chauffeured in classic or unique cars. Sonic donates more than 900 meals to feed clients, Lubbock leaders, and drivers.
L’Anna Jones regularly delivers for Meals on Wheels throughout the week. She started delivering after her sister-in-law told her about how the organization helps people.
“I wanted to join in on that, to feed the hungry because we have so many hungry in Lubbock,” Jones said.
Jones has been delivering for 24 years. She said the ‘Big Wheels Deliver Meals’ event is fun because it gets the community involved.
“People get to come bring their cars and drive us around. It’s fun for the clients to get to see the cars and it’s just community involvement,” Jones said. “We just need Lubbock to know what else is going on.”
A normal delivery day starts with the drivers grabbing their food totes and route sheets before driving to every client on their list.
“A lot of times they’ll come to the door, or sometimes we need to go in and cut up the food for them, and just visit with them here. You know, hear how they’re doing and all that,” Jones said. “It’s almost like a well check. So many times we’re the only people that they see in a day.”
Jones drives the same route every week, allowing her to build relationships with people on her list.
“It’s definitely meaningful to them, and sometimes the only meal they get, too,” Jones said.
Josephine Francis has been receiving Meals on Wheels for five years. Usually, the meals are the main things she eats for the day.
“Yeah. I’m home most of all, most all the time. I don’t get around much, ” Francis said.
Francis said she wishes more people knew about the meals because they help her so much.
“And by the time that comes I’m hungry and it tastes good. So it works out well and I don’t have to worry about buying it or fixing it,” Francis said.
Francis is thankful for Meals on Wheels and volunteers like L’Anna Jones. Jones said she plans on delivering until she can not walk up to the door anymore.
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