Volunteers are at the heart of all we do at Meals on Wheels People. In honor of National Volunteer Week, we’re highlighting several volunteers who make a significant impact in the lives of our older neighbors. Today we’d like to introduce you to Don and Dylan George.
Father-son duo Don and Dylan George have been supporting older adults in a variety of ways over the past five years.
In 2018, Dylan took to the road to focus on his passion for filmmaking. He lived out of a van that he and his father converted into a tiny home, and committed to volunteering at different Meals on Wheels organizations throughout his trip across the U.S.
A year later, Don retired and found inspiration in Dylan’s volunteer work, so he decided to dedicate his free time to delivering meals with Meals on Wheels People. Once Dylan’s trip was complete, he returned to Washington and joined his father once a week on his delivery route. It didn’t take long before the duo realized that they were well-positioned to give back in a different way.
“During our two years of making food deliveries, we saw a lot of opportunities to contribute to the quality of life of our older neighbors,” said Don. “People were in need of support with housing safety, general maintenance, and yard clean up—tasks that we knew we were capable of helping with.”
Meals on Wheels People launched Safe Homes for Seniors shortly after Don and Dylan noticed the need in their community. Don and Dylan were thrilled to get started, knowing that the services they provide would bring seniors great joy, comfort, and peace of mind.
“It’s really satisfying to show up in the morning to a house in need of repair and leave a few hours later with the house in better shape,” said Dylan. “We’re often amazed by what we uncover while cleaning up the outdoor spaces—everything from sidewalks and landscape elements that were hidden under overgrowth to yard decor that can be brought back to life.”
Don and Dylan’s shared experience delivering meals and making home repairs has reaffirmed the importance of family and community in their lives. They know that everybody needs a hand at some point on their journey and they feel fortunate to be able to serve others in need.
“We’ve witnessed need at every level throughout our time volunteering,” said Don. “There are areas for everyone to assist–regardless of skill, experience, or physical ability– and the more volunteers we have the merrier. We love meeting new community members each time we show up.”
To learn more about our available volunteer opportunities, visit mowp.org/volunteer.