By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

David Stiles has approximately 90 Meals On Wheels clients, but he’d like to have about 200.

“We are interested in trying to expand our clientele,” said Stiles, site coordinator for the program in South Portland. “We know there are many seniors out there that either don’t know about our services, think they don’t qualify or maybe are a little too proud to ask for a little bit of help.”

The program provides lunches, Monday through Friday, in South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough.

The meals are free for those who cannot afford to pay, but approximately 80 percent of clients voluntarily offer a $3.50 donation for each meal, Stiles said. 

The program is funded by Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) located in Scarborough, which gets money from both the state and federal governments. Stiles said the SMAA is concerned about subsidy reductions like all social service agencies because of the state’s current financial problems.

He also said the funding formula provides more money if the agency serves more people, but the current level of service would not be affected by future budget cuts. The SMAA changed vendors last year to save on food costs and is currently involved in an ongoing effort to raise money through corporate support, Stiles said.

In addition to increasing clients, Stiles also is trying to recruit volunteer drivers to deliver meals. Stiles has about 50 drivers now but said he would like to double that number.

One of the program’s drivers is Paul Lamb. He knows his route through the streets of South Portland as surely as an experienced ferry captain knows the waters of Casco Bay.

For two years, Lamb has been a volunteer with the Meals On Wheels program that operates out of Peoples United Methodist Church on Broadway.

Last Friday, Lamb deftly maneuvered his SUV into and out of driveways and parking lots to efficiently deliver the day’s special – beef stew with milk and dessert  – to all of his clients on time.

Why does he do it? 

“I was able to retire at 59. So I just decided it was time to give back on the other end. I’m glad to be able to do it. Just knowing you’re helping people out is a big thing for me,” Lamb said.

Thanks to Meals On Wheels, area seniors who cannot get out of their homes to buy their own food can count on getting a nutritious lunch every weekday.

Lamb’s first stop was at the home of South Portland resident Loretta Hoffstadt. She said Meals On Wheels helps her because, “I don’t eat correctly. Living alone, you just don’t feel like cooking for yourself. Plus it’s contact for me.”

“She’s always pleasant,” Lamb said. 

“I’m easy to get along with,” Hoffstadt said with a laugh.

Sally Cox is always impressed by the quality of the meals Lamb delivers. 

“They’re outstanding,” Cox said. “I couldn’t prepare as good a meal myself. I consider myself a gourmet cook so that’s a high compliment.”

Kathleen Brydon recently came back to Meals On Wheels as a client after leaving the program for a brief time. 

“I do try some of my meals myself and then keep the others in the freezer,” Brydon said. “They do a very good job.”

Most drivers volunteer one day per week but some deliver meals several days a week, all under the direction of Site Coordinators Stiles and Anne Bain.

Some of drivers work in teams that include husband and wife, father and daughter or mother and children. Each driver has his or her own route and it takes approximately one to two hours to finish a route.

 Lamb works solo, delivering meals to approximately 15 men and women who live in the Highland Avenue, Evans Street and Pleasantdale areas of South Portland.

Lamb, a Scarborough resident, is a retired ship fitter who worked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for 33 years. He also is a Navy veteran.

Lamb not only knows exactly where all his clients live, he also knows their personalities, health issues and habits. He knows who will meet him at the door and who will leave the door unlocked so he can bring food inside the house and set it down on the kitchen table.

For Lamb, this job involves more than just dropping off food, he said. He checks on every client to make sure they are safe. Fortunately, Lamb’s never had to make an emergency phone call to get help for someone on his route.

Lamb also spends a few minutes at each stop to socialize. He knows many of them look forward to the company as much as the food, he said. Some of these seniors have no friends or family members to check on them each day and Lamb’s visit gives them a brief respite from their loneliness as well as a good meal.

“A lot of seniors don’t have any family,” Stiles said. “So, they see no other human beings other than the Meals On Wheels driver. It’s really sad.”

To volunteer to deliver meals or to receive meals, call 396-6500 or visit www.smaa.org.

“Like they always say about volunteering, you get more out of it than you put in,” Stiles said. “It can be really rewarding for a lot of people.”

Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237 or news@inthesentry.com.