More than a meal: How Meals on Wheels delivers hope to Erath County

By Lauren Jeskevic
Multimedia Journalist

For some seniors in Erath County, a knock at the door means much more than lunch. It means seeing a familiar face, enjoying a warm conversation and finding comfort in knowing someone cares enough to show up.

Meals on Wheels has served Erath County since 1995, delivering meals to seniors and individuals with debilitating disabilities who are unable to regularly shop, cook or prepare food for themselves.

After eight years as executive director, Elizabeth Johnson has learned that food is only part of what some clients need.

"The biggest need we are seeing among the people we serve right now is loneliness and social isolation," Johnson said.

Each year, Meals on Wheels serves approximately 225 to 250 clients, delivering roughly 44,000 meals across Erath County. Volunteers pick up freshly prepared meals each morning, covering 10 daily routes throughout the county and five additional weekly rural routes.

For some clients, those volunteers are the only people they see all day.

"For too many of our clients, volunteering is the only daily human interaction they have," Johnson said.

To help combat isolation, volunteers often serve the same routes each week, allowing a simple meal delivery to develop into a meaningful friendship. Over time, clients begin to open up, sharing stories about their lives and building relationships with the people who visit them.

Johnson recalled a couple referred to the program after the husband began struggling with dementia and his wife suffered an injury that left her unable to cook.

During their initial intake, Johnson was heartbroken to learn what the couple had eaten the previous day: a single banana they had shared.

The couple immediately began receiving daily meals and nutritional supplements. When Johnson returned to check on them, the transformation was clear.

"The lights were on. She was feeling better. Everything had improved so dramatically," Johnson said.

Eventually, as their health stabilized, the couple reached a point where they no longer needed the service.

For Johnson, their experience demonstrated that needing Meals on Wheels isn't always a matter of financial hardship. Sometimes, it comes down to physical limitations that make preparing meals difficult or impossible.

"That's why we always say our service is more than a meal," Johnson said.

That mission also provides valuable learning opportunities for local college students.

Through an ongoing partnership with Tarleton State University, social work students complete paid internships with Meals on Wheels, conducting client intakes, performing home assessments and working directly with families. The experience allows students to apply classroom lessons to real-world situations.

Other student groups volunteer to deliver meals, assist with appreciation events and support daily operations.

For Dior Granados Duran, former Tarleton student body president, volunteering with Meals on Wheels has provided a sense of fulfillment and an opportunity to be part of something bigger than himself.

"Having a servant's heart is a big part of who I am, and I find fulfillment in being able to make a difference in other people's lives," Duran said.

His connection to the program began during his freshman year, when he picked up a DoorDash delivery contracted by Meals on Wheels.

The experience stayed with him. He believed the work was better suited for dedicated volunteers who could build relationships with the people receiving meals rather than simply completing deliveries.

Once he joined the volunteer team, those personal connections kept him coming back.

"When these individuals see you, their faces light up, and they become eager to learn about your college experiences," Duran said. "They also enjoy sharing stories about how much they have seen Stephenville change over the years."

For Duran, volunteering helped him better understand what it means to be part of the Stephenville community.

"The Stephenville community is close-knit and full of people who genuinely care and do so much for us," Duran said. "Stephenville and its people have given me a home away from home, and that is something I will always cherish."

Maintaining those connections requires continued community support.

With just two full-time and two part-time staff members, Meals on Wheels relies on approximately 250 volunteers each month to keep its operation running.

"Without our volunteers, we simply wouldn't be able to run," Johnson said. "You know every single day when you leave work that you've done something to truly help someone."

In Erath County, Meals on Wheels delivers thousands of meals every year. But behind every delivery is more than food. There is a volunteer, a neighbor and a personal connection that can make a lasting difference.

For the people waiting on the other side of the door, that connection may be the most important delivery of all.