TOLEDO, Ohio — April is National Volunteer Month, the best time to highlight people making an outstanding difference in their community by simply giving their time for free.
Dale Pittman, a retired Toledo Public Schools teacher, is a longtime volunteer for Mobile Meals of Toledo. He said in this role he sees how hard it is for some people to get to a healthy meal, especially those who can't leave their homes.
According to the National Council on Aging, 5.2 million seniors in the U.S. suffer from a lack of sufficient nutrition and balanced meals.
So, Dale decided to be a part of the solution.
"We are doing everything that we can to make sure that these people are getting the meals that they require," he said.
After more than 13 years with Mobile Meals, Dale said the number of seniors they assist has noticeably gone up since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Prior to that, I did it by myself and all I did was deliver to the doors I didn't have any contact with the person," Dale said.
After driving his route for so many years, he encouraged his wife, Ellen, to join him in his volunteering.
The pair makes a good team, he said. Ellen calls clients by phone, a task that has turned into a wellness check.
"I'm always saying that I'm glad that I call people because there have been a number of times that by calling them, we find out that there is a problem," she said.
Her call could be the difference between life and death.
"There was a gentleman that was just so cluttered in his mind about why we were even there and he didn't want us to be there. They got a hold of his family and got him help right away," she said.
Mobile Meals of Toledo Volunteers are an essential part of Toledo's community, evidenced by riding along with Dale and Ellen. Some clients served by the Pittmans included an 83-year-old man with cancer, a senior who was a mobile meals volunteer for 17 years before losing her mobility and an elderly woman whose son discovered she had gone days without food.
The Pittmans said the cause is bigger than the reward.
"There's no pay for us, but we do it out of the love of our hearts," Dale said.