Employees Discover the Unintended Rewards of Volunteerism
Every Monday at 10:30 a.m., come rain or shine, Tammy Thomas
takes a break from her duties in the Water Utilities Department for
a short commute to the Claremont Mature Living Apartment complex
near the Cowboys Stadium. Thomas is a Meals on Wheels volunteer.
At the complex, she greets other volunteers and loads up a two-level
cart with breakfast and lunch. Then, she goes door to door,
delivering meals to the tenants, many of whom are elderly and have
difficulty getting around.
“Rewarding is the best way to describe my job as a volunteer,” said
Thomas, a City of Arlington employee for 14 years. “It’s not what
we’re doing for them, but what we get back in return. It’s something
that’s really appreciated.”
Thomas and other City employees who volunteer for Meals on Wheels
are part of a City of Arlington Volunteer Program, which allows
employees to leave their jobs for one hour a week. Meals on Wheels
is one of the volunteer programs with whom the City has partnered to
enrich the quality of life for residents and City employees.
The mentor organization Big Brothers Big Sisters and Days of Caring
Events are the other programs that align with the City’s initiative
of building strong neighborhoods. Employees can volunteer as
individuals or with a group of fellow workers, depending on their
schedule.
Currently, more than 20 city employees are Meals on Wheels
volunteers. Some are drivers who pick up and pack food, and some are
like Thomas, who arrive at the destination, load up and go door to
door.
All volunteers are trained through orientation sessions coordinated
by Meals on Wheels. Thomas invites other City of Arlington employees
to tag along with her for the experience. She is not alone on most
days. Thomas often gets help from her husband, Troy, a home
inspector who enjoys the quality time spent helping others.
“Sometimes when Troy isn’t with me, the first thing they ask is,
‘where’s your husband?’ If they want to talk, we’ll talk,” Thomas
said.
Claremont resident Dorothy Sprahl looks forward to the company.
“The people who deliver the meals are just super friendly,” she
said. “Seeing them really makes my day.”
For more information about Meals on Wheels, visit
mealsonwheels.org
or call 817-459-6869.
