Our companion call program was started during COVID-19 due the limited interactions our volunteers could have with our home-delivered meal clients. Our volunteers are the only people many of our clients get to interact with in a given day, and our volunteers deeply missed connecting with clients they had grown close to. To help bridge this gap, companion call volunteers call our home-delivered meal clients to check on their well-being, see how they are managing during the pandemic and to chat about daily life. Even as pandemic restrictions lifted, FeedMore WNY opted to continue our companion call program due to its popularity with both clients and volunteers.

Having a husband with disabilities and a new grandson, Ziegler greatly appreciates the flexibility that comes with the companion call program. “It’s a great program to volunteer for when you need flexibility due to other responsibilities. [The FeedMore WNY team] appreciates any amount of time you have to come in and are very kind,” Ziegler said.

Conversations with clients typically begin with topics such as how they are enjoying their meals and often lead to clients sharing about their everyday lives.

“Clients love to talk about their favorite meals, favorite TV shows, their dogs, their grandchildren and even their great grandchildren. Being a grandmother now myself, it’s fun getting to discuss our experiences with our grandchildren together,” Ziegler said.

Volunteers keep a log of anything of importance that comes up in the conversation such as food allergies, diet and medical issues that may need follow up. Volunteer logs are sent to our Nutrition and Client Services teams, who respond to any concerns. During one companion call, Ziegler spoke to a visually impaired client who was struggling with being alone after their spouse was admitted into the hospital. Ziegler was able to relay the information to our Social Work team, and the client was able to get the additional assistance they needed.

“I feel very fortunate with my life, so I love being able to give back in this way. It feels good at the end of the day that I am doing something that people appreciate. Sometimes I think I’m getting more out of it than they do!”