Portales Meals on Wheels teams up with hospital

Portales Meals on Wheels (MOW) recently teamed up with Roosevelt General Hospital (RGH) to provide more meals to the area residents needing food assistance.

MOW volunteers now pick up the meals at the RGH Café, that started at the beginning of this month. According to a release from MOW, the organization "found it needed a new provider for the meals it supplies." Luckily, RGH was able to take on that challenge.

"As part of our Dietary Department goals, the Meals on Wheels program fits perfectly," said Michael Villanueva, the dietary manager at RGH. "It's a win-win situation for us; we serve the community, and they receive a meal."

According to the release, "there are still a few things to be ironed out," like the floor space in the RGH Cafe is not quite large enough to stage MOW volunteer pickup. The release states the RGH Cafe is also a working restaurant and popular lunch destination, which can become crowded when MOW volunteers arrive to pick up.

However, the hospital and MOW team is working to figure out these issues "to provide high-quality food and assistance to those that need it the most."

"Roosevelt General Hospital has always served in some capacity with the Meals on Wheels program, but this was our opportunity to do even more," said Jeannette Orrantia, director of marketing and public relations at RGH.

"The partnership from RGH is an answer to our prayers," said Quaylene Parkey, MOW board member. "We will be able to continue to provide meals to the most vulnerable citizens in our community and upgrade the quality of the service and our meals."

To volunteer with MOW, contact Cora Stroud at 575-359-1483 or 575-760-9680. Meal delivery begins every weekday at 11:30 a.m. and each volunteer generally delivers meals to three or four addresses. There is no meal delivery on weekends.

If you or someone you know needs MOW services, call Bette Kimbell at 575-356-3166 or 575-760-7157.