Meals-on-Wheels: "A Lifesaver" - A Client's Story

“Meals-on-Wheels has been a lifesaver. I was hungry and needy. Without the meals, I would still be hungry,” said Sig Ostrowski, 82 year-old Meals-on-Wheels recipient.

Sig is part of the “Greatest Generation,” and is only one of the 425 people Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties serves everyday. In a recent interview with Sig, he recalled many events throughout his life.

As a young adult, Sig, along with his three brothers, served in WWII. Sig served in the Philippines in the Army Air Corp where he serviced airplanes for the Pacific front. He witnessed atomic testing, and the village where they were stationed was raided by the Japanese two times. Unfortunately his second brother was killed on the European front, and his eldest brother was injured. Therefore, he was shipped back to Virginia where he finished his service.

After the War, Sig returned to civilian life where he got a job, married, and had a family. Sig’s eldest daughter, Christy, was born mentally and physically handicapped. Against his wife’s wishes, Sig decided to not place Christy in a home for the handicapped.

“Where Christy went, I went,” Sig stated. Therefore, he raised Christy as a single father. “She (Christy) was the light of my life. Everything I did revolved around her,” he added.

It was apparent by looking around Sig’s home. He had pictures of Christy decorating the walls of his small, wood-framed house. As we walked through the hall adorned with pictures, he turned and with loving eyes said: “She had a beautiful smile.”

As Sig’s health declined, it became more difficult to care for Christy. After a sudden fall and then a stroke, Sig began to take meals from Meals-on-Wheels. “It really helped when I was caring for Christy. As I mentioned before, the meals were a real lifesaver,” Sig said.

“I also enjoy seeing all the volunteers,” Sig added. “After Christy’s death, the volunteers were there to give me something extra—and I needed that!”

Like many, Sig has had a busy and eventful life, but now cannot get around as much as he used to. “I like to bowl and play golf, but don’t get to do that much any more,” he recalls. Meals-on-Wheels is available to help the elderly and disabled homebound live more productive and independent lives, in their own homes—where they want to be.

Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties delivers noontime meals Monday through Friday in most of the communities served. Meals-on-Wheels is a dual-county program covering over 1,700 square miles. The meals are delivered by caring volunteers with convenient “pick-up points.”

“A route takes no more than an hour to deliver, and provides the daily contact for those we serve,” said Pam Masters, Volunteer Coordinator. “We continue to need volunteers to help get meals delivered, as well as local monies to support our organization,” she added.

During the month of March Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties along with other meal programs nationwide, participate in the March for Meals Campaign. This year’s slogan is “So No Senior Goes Hungry.” The Campaign has three primary goals: (1) raise awareness of senior hunger, (2) recruit new volunteers to help address the issue, and (3) raise needed funds to be used at the local level. Meals-on-Wheels is promoting the local program through media outlets and will be have a direct mail campaign mid-March.

“We encourage anyone who would like to help in ending senior hunger, to get involved anyway that you can; whether that be through volunteering, donating, or telling others about our services,” commented Amy Jackson, Director of Development.
Meals-on-Wheels is a community-based, non-profit organization serving the homebound elderly and disabled residents throughout Johnson and Ellis Counties. For more information, contact the Meals-on-Wheels office.