We're flexible! You can be too!
Volunteer as much or as little as you wish!
Make your lunch-hour truly satisfying by delivering Meals on Wheels! An hour of your lunch time weekly or monthly spent delivering hot, delicious and nutritious Meals on Wheels while ensuring the safety of our clients.
For those of you with a gift for gab we are looking for volunteers to make Telephone Reassurance Calls. Calls are made from the comfort of your own home between 8:45am and 11:00am. Volunteer once, twice or three times a month - it's up to you!
If you enjoy the open road why not become a Transportation volunteer? Volunteers are utilized on an on-call basis to deliver trips within Stratford and to medical appointments out of town. If you are not available on a certain day don't worry, we'll call again!
Our Volunteers Deliver Independence!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to our volunteers for all of the work that you do!
As a volunteer you put your compassion into action; sharing your skills on our Board and various committees, assisting with fundraising and special events, delivering delicious and nutritious hot meals, providing transportation, leading fitness classes, serving meals at Diners’ Clubs, visiting seniors, measuring blood pressure at CHAP clinics, calling clients to check on their wellbeing and mentoring new volunteers.
Without you we couldn’t possibly deliver over 56 000 units of service to over 1 600 clients annually. Your generous gift of your valuable time and commitment helps us ensure our clients maintain their independence, dignity and wellness. With each volunteer opportunity you bring your unique personalities, skills and that ever important human touch to the lives of seniors and persons with disabilities in our community.
We hope as volunteers of Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services you treasure your role as ambassadors of our mission to “Bring Independence Home”. We hope that the smiles and words of thanks you receive from clients, the sense of community you feel with staff and your fellow volunteers and the sense of pride you achieve with each volunteer “job” makes a difference in your life, the way you are making a difference to the Stratford and area community.
Once again we extend our thanks to our incredible group of volunteers!
Volunteer Positions At A Glance
With numerous volunteer positions available we have something for everyone!
| Volunteer Position | Description | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Meals on Wheels Driver | Uses car to collect and deliver meals to clients. Reports concerns to staff. | At least 2 hrs once/month. The schedule is flexible and you can deliver as often as your availability permits. You can also request certain delivery days, i.e. every second Monday. |
| Meals on Wheels Runner | Assists driver with the delivery of meals to clients. | Same as above. |
| Volunteer Driver | Provides transportation for clients in Stratford. Also option of providing transportation out of town for medical appointments. Volunteer drivers must be between the ages of 18 and 80. | On-call basis. Trips in town average 1 to 2 hours. Trips out of town average approx. 2 to 4 hours. |
| Diners' Club Helper | Assist at Diners' Clubs. Help set up tables, serve food and clean up. | 2 hours monthly. |
| Volunteer Visitor | Visit with a lonely or isolated client to read, talk or go for a walk. | 1 hour weekly. |
| Telephone Reassurance Volunteer | Volunteers place telephone calls to reassurance clients each weekday at a prearranged time (8:45 am to 12:00 pm). Volunteers report back unanswered calls and any concerns. | 3 hours/month. Calls are made in the morning (approx. 8:45 am to 12:00 pm). Calls are made from the comfort of your home. |
| SWIFT Instructor | Those with a passion for fitness are needed to lead hour-long SWIFT gentle exercise classes. No experience necessary, all training provided by SMOW&NS. | 1 hour/week. |
| CHAP+AP Peer Educator | Volunteers are needed at CHAP+AP sessions to measure. record client's blood pressure and provide education based on their cardiovascular risk profile. | 4 hours/month |
| Board Member | When positions become available - various skills needed on the Board (Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, etc.) | Monthly meetings over noon hour, Sept through June. Additional hours as projects require. |
| Special Events & Fundraising | Volunteers are utilized to supervise promotional displays and assist with fundraising events. | Flexible - contribute during chosen events. Fundraising committee meets once/month. |
Detailed Job Descriptions can be downloaded below.
Downloadable Forms
Save a step and download and complete our online forms!
Download our Volunteer Application. Fill out the necessary information and mail/drop along with your completed police check to our office. (Remember we reimburse you for your police check!)
643 West Gore St., Stratford, ON N5A 1L4
Downloadable Forms
Meet Our Volunteers!
Tell us a bit about yourselves.
Our names are Emily and Gavin Clutton and we have been married for 7 years. We are retired and like the sun and warmth in south Texas, so we go there for 5 months out of the winter. We drive down and stay in a mobile home with lots of other Canadians and it is a lot of fun.
Emily spent 33 years in the legal field, Gavin was a journeyman electrician and then a teacher. Emily lived in London and Kentucky, and Gavin in Stratford, Fenelon Falls and then Calgary before coming back to Stratford.
What prompted you to become volunteers for SMOW&NS?
Gavin had been involved delivering meals previously with his church. Together we both volunteered at the Corner Store in Woodland Towers and when that ended, we had more free time so we decided to volunteer to deliver meals for Meals on Wheels.
Gavin has been a volunteer for 14 years, and together we have volunteered for 7 years delivering meals. We like to be scheduled as much as possible during the summer months as we go away each winter, and often pick up extra shifts so we usually end up volunteering 11 or 12 times a month!
What do you like most about volunteering with SMOW&NS?
It is a real way to help, and it does not take up a lot of your time. We really enjoy it and look forward to seeing the people on the route. Emily has gotten to know the city better as a result (not being originally from Stratford), and they have a system. Emily drives and Gavin goes in to deliver the meal. Whenever they have a stop with more than one person at that address, they both get out and do it together.
Would you recommend volunteering with SMOW&NS to your friends?
Absolutely! It only takes an hour over your lunchtime.
How do you think your volunteer experience has impacted your lives?
We love the feeling of fellowship that we get from the community and that it makes a huge difference. Community is very important to us, and we believe that service should be unconditional. As a result of our volunteering, we have had an opportunity to meet and get to know other volunteers just like ourselves, and we feel that everyone's motivation is in the right place.
How do you think delivering a hot meal at lunch time has impacted the seniors that you deliver to?
We feel that connection is very important since they are still a vital part of the community. We love the fact that we have met many seniors who used to be Meals on Wheels volunteers themselves, so everything comes full circle! We enjoy the encouragement and dignity that the clients have and we feel good that we are doing something for someone. As volunteers with Meals on Wheels we are giving our time to deliver the meals (without any payment in return) and we feel good about that. The clients always brighten our day and they have a bigger smile than we could possibly give them, but we also love the staff and feel that the whole program is very well organized, so it makes it easy for us to volunteer.
Mabel Smith is a volunteer with our Telephone Reassurance program. She has been volunteering with this program since its inception with the agency in 2001.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Mabel Smith and I moved to my husband's home farm outside of Sebringville 50 years ago from Toronto. While in Toronto I was a dietician and taught some night school. I am 90 years old, the last surviving member of my family, and still live on the farm with my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter as my husband has passed on. I also have a daughter and 2 other grandchildren.
I still cook and bake, and I exercise every other day with weights as I have done all my life. I love to play Scrabble and do crosswords. I also like to visit people, but I am no longer able to drive. My husband and I were Foster Parents for 20 years and together we used to deliver Meals on Wheels.
I am still active in both my church study group and the Sebringville Women's Institute, and I attend Congregate Dining put on by Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services at Community of Christ Church once a month for a hot nutritious meal.
What prompted you to become a volunteer with SMOW&NS?
I worked for Telecare for 20 years and when it folded it was a natural choice to become a Telephone Reassurance volunteer with Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services because it was a similar service and you could do it from your own home.
What do you like most about volunteering with SMOW&NS?
I can volunteer once, twice or three times a month if I wish. I love people and I love life and I learn a lot of very interesting things while talking with the clients.
Would you recommend volunteering with SMOW&NS?
Yes my husband and I delivered Meals on Wheels for years together, and now the Telephone Reassurance is something that I can do on my own.
How do you think your volunteer experience has impacted your life?
It has given me something to do using the skills that I acquired over time.
How do your think your telephone reassurance calls have impacted the seniors that you call?
Well it has given them someone to talk to and I make note of their birthdays or if they have had an operation so that I can wish them a Happy Birthday or ask them how things went while they were in hospital and how they are doing once they are home. We develop friendships over time and I call to make sure that they are okay and lots of them like to talk. I enjoy talking to people and am grateful for every day that my feet touch the ground.
Mabel is part of the volunteer age group that precedes the Baby Boomers. The dynamics of this group of WWII retirees, sometimes known as “super volunteers” due to the fact they consistently deliver the largest amount of volunteer hours compared to other age groups, set the bar for good works. This group had strong values about community and helping others and set in motion what was to become a comprehensive health care plan for all Canadians. Whether as parents or older siblings, today’s seniors are role models for the Baby Boom generation and the bellweather for patterns and involvement and for successes and barriers to volunteer involvement. Source: Volunteer Canada
Beryl Morningstar was born in Saskatchewan during the Great Depression, and only ever wanted to be one thing, a kindergarten teacher. Her dream was realized when she began teaching in Hamilton and later in North Bay. Beryl, like many residents, ended up moving to Stratford with her husband and daughter after coming to see the plays at the theatre over the years. They thought Stratford was a good place to raise a family, and once here Beryl taught at Avon School. Today Beryl is a volunteer with both our Transportation and Visiting programs. She began volunteering for Neighbourly Services after her husband passed away in 1993. Her neighbour and friend Elaine Wood asked her if she might be interested in volunteering. She was a board member for a number of years and was part of the amalgamation when the agency became Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services. When they changed the day of the board meeting she had to go off the board as she was working and not able to make it. However, she knew there was a specific need at the agency for out of town drivers so she volunteered to help out. When she first began driving she would take clients to Toronto for medical appointments and to London for dialysis treatment. Today she doesn’t like to take trips to Toronto but still will make trips to London and Kitchener, as well as providing transportation in town. In addition to volunteering with SMOW&NS Beryl keeps busy with volunteer work with the Stratford Perth Archives, Friends of the Festival and a ladies investment club. She also writes the newsletter for and is an active member of the Ontario Genealogy Society.
What prompted you to become a volunteer with SMOW&NS?
Growing up I remember my parents volunteering to give rides for people to church so it was a natural progression for me to do the same. As I volunteered for the Transportation program, some of the clients would call me directly at home instead of going through the agency, so I eventually became a Volunteer Visitor for these clients.
What do you like most about volunteering with SMOW&NS?
I really like the clients, and we enjoy each other’s company on the trips and visits we have. Often when we are finished with a trip, we go out for coffee and I love hearing stories about the client’s grandchildren or their travels. My “ladies” (and I have five of them) have specific days that I visit or provide them with transportation. I have fun with them, encourage them, and invite them to get involved in activities in the community. With one client we go grocery shopping, I push the cart and help her find what she needs. In turn this client teaches me about food and food labels. We laugh, talk about the past, and even sing old songs! With another “lady” I visit I always end our time together with a, “see you later alligator”. Her response is, “in awhile crocodile”. It’s the connection with others and the simple enjoyment of another person’s company.
Would you recommend volunteering with SMOW&NS?
I certainly would recommend volunteering as I really enjoy it.
