Eating on wheels: more than just meals - a look behind the scenes

Eating on wheels: more than just meals - a look behind the scenes

In the event center (VAZ) St. Pölten, the general assembly of the aid organization of Lower Austria was held recently, which was celebrated in connection with a festive Oktoberfest. Voluntary drivers of the Essen-Up-Rader Services as well as other staff from menu service and numerous guests of honor were invited to appreciate their valuable work.

The talks with the volunteers quickly showed that eating on wheels was much more than just delivering meals. A central aspect of this service is the social role that it plays. Many customers only receive a visit once a day, and often it is the drivers who make this contact. Michaela Hinterholzer, President of the aid organization Lower Austria, emphasized this in her speech: "You shouldn't overlook the social component. Our services are so much more than a pure meal delivery. Our drivers ensure a welcome change in often lonely everyday life."

The role of the volunteers

State Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister also emphasized the importance of the volunteer and said: “Volunteering plays a crucial role in our society, especially when it comes to people who are dependent on support. In the Essen-on-wheel drivers, you can feel the enormous commitment and joy that they bring them into their work. Encounters. " Thanks and recognition were particularly pronounced by the approximately 700 committed volunteers who deliver around 384,000 meals across Lower Austria every year.

The Lower Austria Aid Agency, with its 19 locations, not only offers the delivery of warm meals. This service includes practical solutions such as the menu service, in which freely cooled dishes are reliably delivered to your home. Every year the menu service supplies around 285,000 portions of private households, childcare facilities and schools.

"I have been on wheels on wheels for five years now. What is the most beautiful? You give joy! When the customers are already waiting for you because they want to chat briefly - for many you are the only visit to the day," says a committed driver. These personal encounters and the associated joy are an essential part of the service and make the work of the volunteers so important.