Why Nola has been delivering Meals on Wheels for eight years
For the past eight years, Nola has spent part of her week knocking on front doors across her community, delivering Meals on Wheels.
"I get to go and see people and have a chat to them," Nola says. "A lot of them are lonely people who maybe don't see anyone to talk to."
For Nola, those conversations are just as important as the meals she carries.
Having grown up in the local area, many of the faces she visits are familiar, including three of her own cousins. "I know most of the people because I've grown up in Bega Valley, so I can connect with them," she says.
Those personal connections are what make volunteering so rewarding. It's one of the reasons Meals on Wheels volunteers in NSW report higher levels of wellbeing than other volunteers.
"I just have this wonderful feeling that I've taken a good meal to somebody and I've had a talk to them,” she says. “Perhaps it's made their day a better day… It certainly makes my day a better day."
For many Meals on Wheels clients, a volunteer's visit may be one of their few regular social check-ins. Our Social Impact Report (a formal evaluation focused on older Australians) found that 4 in 5 individuals report less than one social interaction a week. A friendly conversation, a familiar face and a few minutes spent chatting can help reduce loneliness while reassuring clients that someone is looking out for them.
Nola sees that impact firsthand.
"You see how lonely some people are. They aren't able to get meals for themselves, so a little knock on the door and delivering them a good, healthy meal is something well worth doing."
It's why she encourages anyone with a little spare time to consider volunteering.