Touching Lives

Homebound Meals, Inc. Board Director, Peg Maginn, shares one of her holiday memories:

As a Director on the HBM Board, much of my service to the agency involves administrative work, such as maintaining financial accountability.  However, each December I have the pleasure of assisting in the delivery of gifts to our homebound clients.  These gifts are mostly basic daily living items, such as Kleenex, deodorant, a flashlight, etc., and are provided to those in need.

While picking out my silly costume for this year (an antler headband), I found myself thinking of a woman to whom I had delivered gifts in 2015. At forty, she was one of our younger clients.  It was an unusual situation in that her health problems were directly related to severe obesity, which kept her both bedridden and homebound.  We talked for a bit before I presented the gifts, and her very emotional response took me by surprise.  She reached out to hug me, thanked me profusely and repeatedly, and declared this her “best Christmas ever”!

That a personal visit accompanied by a few simple gifts would have such an impact helped me appreciate that our service is not just about bringing food or gifts, but also fulfills the very real and important need we each have for human contact.

I’m very pleased to share the fact that this young woman no longer needs our services.  Over approximately eighteen months she was able to modify her diet and overcome her health issues to the point where she is no longer homebound. Thanks to her and so many others, our volunteer drivers, staff, and directors have the satisfaction of knowing that whether the need for our medically appropriate meals is short or long term, our services make a significant difference in the life of each client.  And that is their gift to us.

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