{"id":80102,"date":"2026-08-19T15:51:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T20:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meals-on-wheels.com\/?p=80102"},"modified":"2026-08-20T08:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T13:50:11","slug":"gratitude-for-good-meals-and-thoughtful-gestures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meals-on-wheels.com\/es\/blog\/gratitude-for-good-meals-and-thoughtful-gestures\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude for Good Meals and Thoughtful Gestures"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Mark, who is 79 and lives in West St. Paul, turned to Meals on Wheels for simple and straightforward assistance getting enough healthy food. Yet, it\u2019s the things that come along with his meal service that have made a big impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Mark received a birthday card signed by a Meals on Wheels volunteer, it was unexpected and meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt kind of brightens my day,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s nice they put things like that in with the meals. Sometimes small things mean a lot to people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark called the folks at his local program, Northern Dakota County Meals on Wheels, to express his gratitude for the card. He wants everyone to know how much both the meals and thoughtful conversation and gestures from volunteers mean to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unaware that Meals on Wheels was an option for him, Mark learned of the program during an appointment at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital. He started receiving meals through the Veterans Meal Program, which identifies veterans who are at risk of hunger or social isolation and could benefit from Meals on Wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s giving me more balance in my diet and I\u2019m just glad I have something to eat. When I do get something that\u2019s really good, I appreciate it. I\u2019m on a fixed income and basically living on Social Security,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark and his brother currently live together in the house they grew up in. Services like Meals on Wheels and chore programs offered through Beyond the Yellow Ribbon help them stay at home despite some mobility challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverything helps and our house is paid for. I couldn\u2019t afford to rent an apartment,\u201d he says. \u201cWe\u2019re lucky we can keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Mark was drafted during the Vietnam War, his military experience took an unexpected turn. A talented baseball player, he was selected for the Army\u2019s all-star team and toured Europe \u2013 an opportunity he is grateful for. After completing his service, he returned home and became a teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark was diagnosed with Hodgkin\u2019s Lymphoma just seven years after returning. The treatment he received was successful in combating the cancer, but side effects led to psychological issues that caused him to lose his job. \u201cI went through a lot of depression,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark eventually found meaning in coaching t-ball and working as a paraprofessional helping kids with educational challenges. He turned his own experience with learning challenges into a passion for helping children succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those experiences reinforced the importance of helping others \u2013 a lesson he carries with him today as he reflects on the people who supported him in the past and those who are helping him continue living independently at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInvest in others and it comes back to you,\u201d says Mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C\u00f3mo puede ayudar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, state funding for the Veterans Meal Program that serves veterans like Mark was not renewed last session, creating additional pressure on community-supported services. We hope funding for this program, which has helped connect more than 200 veterans to Meals on Wheels, will be reconsidered in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, support from individuals like you makes it possible for us to continue serving veterans who have benefited from this program. Your generosity helps ensure that veterans like Mark can continue receiving nutritious meals and the support they need to remain healthy and independent at home. Thank you for being part of the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Help by haciendo una donaci\u00f3n<\/a> o signing up to deliver meals<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Mark, the things that come along with his meal service have made a big impact.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80106,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meet-meal-recipients"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGratitude for Good Meals and Thoughtful Gestures | Meals on Wheels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For Mark, the things that come along with his meal service make him appreciate Meals on Wheels and volunteers delivering.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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