Three Indiana women have been doing that since 1972, when Meals on Wheels began in Indiana County.
"Representatives from area churches got together to see if it was a feasible program," said Jean Jenkins, 71, who attended that first meeting. "In the beginning, a lot had to be worked out; it's become a lot more streamlined now."
When the program began in the Willard building in White Township, a handful of volunteers served meals to fewer than 10 residents of the township and Indiana Borough. Since then, the program has grown to include more than 150 volunteers serving as many as 70 meals a day.
"It's like taking a baby calf and watching it grow," said Charlot Smith, 85, who in the beginning helped deliver meals after she was done cooking them. "It was good for me to see who was getting our meals."
And even when the Willard building was destroyed by fire in 1977 and the program had no base of operation, the group still managed to serve those in need.
"We never missed a day during that time," said Jane Reed, 74. Help from McDonald's, Indiana Hospital and the food and nutrition department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania saw the group through until it found a new home at the American Legion Post 141 in Indiana.
The meals are served mostly to elderly people but are available to anyone with a need, such as people who live alone and have just been released from the hospital.
"Age is a relative thing," said Marty Yachisko, supervisor of Meals on Wheels, "We have 70- and 80-year-old people working here."
But no matter what their ages, those three volunteers have a number of reasons in common for volunteering with Meals on Wheels for more than 30 years.
"We have good benefits, good fellowship with the other help and job security," said Reed. "It makes you feel good to volunteer so people can stay in their own home and enjoy a good meal."
As for the idea of job security, they all agree that no matter what happens - if they can't be at the kitchen for one reason or another, if they mess up a part of a meal or even if they completely ruin the day's entree - they will have a place in the kitchen the next time they are scheduled to volunteer.
"I keep waiting for Marty to fire me because I don't do some things anymore, like heavier lifting," said Smith with a twinkle in her eye - knowing full well that she will never get fired.
"Years ago, we made a liver loaf that was really awful," Jenkins said. "It didn't stay on the menu for very long, but we still had our jobs."
There have been a few other "disasters" over the years that the volunteers were happy to detail.
"Twenty years ago," said Reed, " Marty made baked beans from scratch - but didn't cook the beans first" and the meal recipients were treated to an unusually firm style of baked beans.
One time a cook forgot about the sausage casserole in the oven until it was too late to save it.
"It's just like at home," said Reed, "things go wrong."
The volunteers also often tease Yachisko that they are going to retire unless they get a raise in salary.
"That's easy," said Yachisko. "I just double their salary to two times zero."
Jenkins, an IUP graduate who taught home economics in Latrobe and Dormont schools for many years, is particularly fond of the "vacation package" that comes with her job at Meals on Wheels.
"I just spent a month in Florida," Jenkins said. "And my place here was secure when I came back."
Four years ago, Jenkins was finding it difficult to do many of the things she normally did with ease. She had a pacemaker inserted about that time and has been able to resume her life.
"I got the pacemaker and a whole new life, so here I am," Jenkins said. "I don't have any plans on retiring."
Nor do Reed or Smith, who along with Jenkins all said that they love what they're doing.
They all plan to continue volunteering and serving those in need until they can no longer physically do so - not with all the good things they get out of being there on a regular basis.
"The practice of cooking for 30, 40 or 50 people is great for when you're entertaining," said Smith with a smile. "You get a feel for how much to make."
The women agree that Meals on Wheels is a great place to work. They work only two days a month for about three to four hours at a time, and they all said they look forward to going there and being of service to the community, talking and laughing with their co-workers and making sure that people who need hot meals delivered to them will not go without.
Of course, there are exceptions to the schedule of one day every two weeks. Jane Reed volunteers every Tuesday rather than every other Tuesday.
"Marty says that's because I can't remember which Tuesday I'm supposed to be here, so I just come every Tuesday," said Reed.
Each day, each woman in the Meals on Wheels kitchen has a particular job to do.
One of the volunteers makes the main entree, another the salads and a third does whatever else needs to be done, such as baking bread or making dessert.
And although the volunteers are responsible for making sure the meals are prepared, packaged and delivered, according to Jenkins, Yachisko is the key factor to the success of the program.
"She is just so good," Jenkins said. "The success of the day-to-day operations is due entirely to Marty."
In the past 30 years, the three women have combined to volunteer for nearly 9,000 hours and have helped prepare more than 25,000 meals.
How long do these women plan to continue volunteering at Meals on Wheels?
Smith could have been speaking for all of them when she said to Yachisko "You're going to have me here until I need you."
