Dynamic Volunteer Opportunity to serve on The Board of Directors of Caledon Meals on Wheels
Feeding the Community Spirit
By John Green

"Caledon Meals on Wheels is dedicated to feeding the community spirit by enabling individuals of all ages to live independent, healthy lives by providing nutritious meals, companionship, social programs and exercise for the mind and body."

This mission statement inspires the staff and directors of this non-profit agency in caring for more than 800 clients throughout the Town of Caledon, Orangeville and areas of rural Dufferin County.

We've come a long way

Early in 1984, a group of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers got together and founded a service to deliver meals to those in need.

Oct. 1, 1984 two of the newly-recruited volunteers delivered the first 10 meals to clients in the community of Bolton. Caledon Meals on Wheels was off and running and we have come a long way since then! Not even in their wildest dreams could these first volunteers have imagined what their efforts would blossom into some 24 years later. Their hard work in the early years laid a solid foundation on which the Caledon Meals on Wheels agency stands and works so successfully today. As in the beginning, the hard work of our volunteers (now more than 200 in all our programs) and the very professional and talented guidance of the agency staff ensure an effective, caring and timely delivery of services to our clients.

In 2007, we served more than 18,000 meals (hot and frozen) to 360 clients, and also provided volunteer visiting and security checks for our clients, a congregate dining program, monthly card parties and our SMILE exercise program. Since the founding of the agency, the operations have been guided and supported by a dedicated and enthusiastic board of directors.

Opportunity to serve

We are currently recruiting volunteers to sit on our Board of Directors to complement the skills of our current members.

The role of our Board of Directors is to provide governance to the organization, identify and monitor strategic priorities, set agency policy, maintain the financial health of the agency and determine innovative ways to better serve our steadily growing client base. Diversity in life experience and business acumen would be an advantage, however, first and foremost we would like our applicants to possess a strong desire to help people in need. We are, when all is said and done, people caring for people.

Approximately six evening meetings of the board are held between September and May at our Caledon East office. Each member of the board sits on one or more of the board committees suited to his or her experience and personal preference. The committees of the board are as follows: finance and administration, human resources, volunteer stewardship, marketing and promotion and governance. Please visit our Web site at www.cmow.org for further details of our agency and our programs.

If you are interested in serving your community as a director of Caledon Meals on Wheels, please submit your application along with a brief resume by mail to: President of the Board of Directors, Caledon Meals on Wheels, 80 Allan Dr., Bolton, Ontario L7E 1P7, or send an e-mail to info@caledonmealsonwheel s.org