Bishop Richard J. Malone volunteered to help deliver Meals on Wheels to shut ins during the Christmas season. (Courtesy of Meals on Wheels for WNY)

Bishop Richard J. Malone and Father Ryszard Biernat recently delivered meals to some of the area's homebound through Meals on Wheels for WNY.

At each home, the Bishop Malone took time to get to know his homebound neighbors asking about their families and their health before providing a prayer and Holy Communion.  

The homebound clients were excited to have the bishop visit.  Each of them lit up with smiles and eagerly prayed along with the Our Father.  Smiles were broad during each visit and eyes were alternately closed in prayer and misty during many visits.

In addition to meals and Communion, each client also received a hand-made card and ornament from children through a local religious education program.  

"We're very fortunate to have the bishop come out and deliver to our clients," said Tara A. Ellis, chief executive officer and president of Meals on Wheels for WNY.  "He tells us every year how much he enjoys it and it just means the world to those that we are able to visit.  Plus, his support is greatly appreciated as we work to get additional meal delivery volunteers."

Meals on Wheels for WNY serves more than 3,600 homebound seniors and disabled individuals each year in Western New York.  This wouldn't be possible without the help of 1,500 incredible volunteers, 400 of whom are on the streets each day.

It takes just one hour to volunteer and people can deliver as frequently or infrequently as they wish.  Both drivers and servers are needed.  With 25 sites throughout Western New York, volunteers can easily serve out of a site near their home, work or school (wherever they are mid-day). Volunteers routinely report that they get more out of volunteering than they give.  

Meals on Wheels for Western New York, Inc. is an independent nonprofit serving the nutritional needs of Erie County. Through the home-delivered meal program, Meals on Wheels serves nearly 900,000 meals each year to 3,600 homebound seniors and disabled individuals who have a limited ability to prepare meals for themselves.  

Through the congregate program, Meals on Wheels prepares more than 275,000 meals each year, which are served to mobile seniors at dining sites throughout Erie County.

For more information visit www.mealsonwheelswny.org.