Medicine Hat Real Estate Board Delivers Meals and Care Package to Community Members in Need
Volunteers in Medicine Hat, Alberta, hit the road for the Medicine Hat Real Estate Board’s REALTORS Care® Day. Volunteers participated in Unison Alberta’s Meals on Wheels program, providing meals and care packages to individuals who cannot cook for themselves for reasons including illness, disability, or mobility loss.
The comforts of home can sometimes be taken for granted, but when a change of health threatens to take these comforts away, it begins to put their value into perspective. Programs like Unison Alberta’s Meals on Wheels, and its counterparts across the globe, allow for individuals to continue to enjoy these comforts, when they might otherwise be unable to.
On their REALTORS Care® Day, 20 REALTORS® in Medicine Hat worked towards Unison Alberta’s mission to allow individuals aged 50 and above to continue to lead fulfilling lives. They worked alongside Unison to make deliveries around the community, while also checking in on the clients, who often face social isolation.
“It is so much more than just a meal,” says Cori Fischer, director of the Veiner Centre “It’s also preventing some social isolation and it provides us an opportunity to do a small check in on them as well.”
On top of delivering 125 meals and cheerful conversations, volunteers provided a small care package, containing warm socks, puzzles, and toiletries to each client they interacted with. The packages were a reminder for these individuals that, although they may have a difficult time getting out of the house and getting involved socially, they are still cared for and valued members of the community.
“I spent the morning touring around with the regular Meals On Wheels drivers helping out with deliveries. Popped in for a quick visit at each stop,” says volunteer David Mulder, a REALTOR® and salesperson with RE/MAX Medalta Real Estate. “Everyone was happy to see a new face and have a quick chat. Definitely will be helping out again next year.”
The events of this REALTORS Care® Day showed the importance of community, and that a small gesture can go a long way for someone who is struggling. It also served a reminder that the value of home cannot be overstated. It is more than just a place to live; it’s where individuals find comfort, security, and a sense of belonging. For many older adults, the ability to remain in their own homes is essential to their well-being and quality of life. Programs like Meals on Wheels are instrumental in making this possible, allowing individuals to maintain their independence and dignity.
Outside of their REALTORS Care® Day, the Medicine Hat Real Estate Board continues to create a positive impact in their community through the Medicine Hat REALTORS® Charitable Foundation (MHRCF) where in the last 20 years it has granted over $430,000 to local charities, shelters, non-profits, and services groups. They also create volunteer opportunities for local REALTORS® including recent opportunities at the Brown Bag Lunch Program, which provides meals for local schoolchildren, and the Prairie Gleaners Society, which transforms donated produce into dehydrated meals for global distribution.
