Being able to prepare a hot meal at home is something many of us take for granted. For some people, due to age or physical limitations, cooking isn't an option. That's when Elizabethtown Meals on Wheels steps in to help.

With a history stretching back decades, Elizabethtown Meals on Wheels delivers hot meals to clients five days a week (excluding federal holidays).

"We're available for seniors age 65 and over and for anyone who struggles to prepare meals for themselves," said Kent Bates, driver coordinator. "It could be someone who had a recent medical procedure or has a verified disability - anyone who has difficulty making a meal, regardless of age."

He said the mission of Meals on Wheels may be misunderstood, as people associate it with only serving the elderly.

"We will help people who just want meals until they get back on their feet after surgery," he said. "We want to help anyone who needs it."

Elizabethown's Meals on Wheels is a program of United Churches Elizabethtown Area. Monday through Friday, volunteers deliver a hot meal and a bag of extras, which could include anything from bread and lunch meat for sandwiches to milk, a fruit cup or treats such as pudding. Food is provided by The Nutrition Group, based in York.

"We deliver the meals in a sealed, microwaveable container," Bates explained. "They're delivered to us in insulated containers, so often the meals are still warm when the client gets them."

Along with providing food, Meals on Wheels volunteers provide a crucial social connection for many recipients.

"We tailor our delivery to what the client wants," Bates said. "Some clients don't want to have face-to-face contact every day, so they'll put a cooler out and we'll drop the meal in that. Others are looking for somebody to talk to, so a wellness check is part of the deal for those clients. A lot of these people don't see or talk to anybody all day, so they look forward to seeing their delivery driver."

To be eligible to receive a meal, people must live in the 17022 ZIP code. Services may be personalized to each client's needs.

"If someone only wants a meal one or two days a week, we can do that," Bates said.

Currently, Elizabethtown Meals on Wheels serves 15 households. Meals are picked up by volunteers at 61 E. Washington St. at 10:15 a.m., and the goal is to deliver the food by noon.

Two volunteers cover two routes daily.

"Each driver has maybe six to eight meals they're delivering," Bates said. "It only takes about an hour to an hour and a half to do it."

Although Bates said he currently has enough drivers to cover regular slots, he's always looking for volunteers who'd like to serve as substitute drivers.

"We have roughly 20 drivers, and most of our drivers only deliver two days a month," he said. "If someone is interested in being a sub, I can train them and put them on the list."

Bates also encourages anyone who could benefit from the program to sign up to receive meals.

"We could use more clients. I know there are a lot of people out there who could benefit from our service," he said. "There are people who don't have family in the area and they could use somebody stopping in and checking on them. Plus, they could use the nourishment."

There is a small cost for receiving meals, but financial assistance may be available through the Lancaster County Office of Aging. To learn more about qualifications, call 717-299-7979. To sign up for delivery, call 717-689-3484 and choose option 5. To learn more about volunteering, call Dave Fritchman at 717-829-4733 or Bates at 717-823-1441.