Meals on Wheels America and Home Instead, an Honor Company, announced the inaugural Power of a Knock™ National Volunteer of the Year: Debbie, a volunteer of more than 16 years through SourcePoint's Meals on Wheels program in Delaware, Ohio.
The Meals on Wheels Power of a Knock™ Volunteer Award was created to celebrate the inspiring individuals who deliver connection and care to older adults in their communities.
Debbie Rickabuagh, who hails from Delaware, Ohio, in the heart of the Buckeye State — is this year’s recipient.
Debbie is a reluctant hero by all accounts, including her own.
“It's not about me. It's about the people I deliver to,” Debbie says of learning she was chosen as the inaugural award recipient.
Though, what resonates most about her story is her willingness to go beyond expectations to foster a sense of belonging when isolation, in all its forms, can easily dishearten and displace, especially for those with differing abilities who often feel neither heard nor seen.
A Hero’s Origin Story
Every hero has an origin story. For Debbie, there was no cape or cowl, just a four-wheel drive vehicle powerful enough to shred snow-covered roads and a belief that no one should be left behind.
Even before being a Meals of Wheels volunteer, Debbie demonstrated a selflessness and unflinching tenacity that’s become a badge of honor for Meals on Wheels volunteers.
16 years ago, in the thick of winter, she learned her local Meals on Wheels program was closing because of treacherous weather conditions. Concerned homebound seniors would go without the food delivery services they relied on — more than ever. She called the next day to sign up.
Debbie has been driving ever since. She was first assigned to a city route before transitioning to a rural route after eight years that originates at SourcePoint - her local Meals on Wheels program - every Wednesday.
The program delivers more than a thousand nutritional meals thanks to the dedication of their volunteers, who amplify their reach and deepen the care they can provide seniors.
“Our drivers are vital to the support we offer to the community,” Jill Smith says, who spearheads SourcePoint’s volunteer recruitment. “They are not only meal carriers; they are also a safety check. They're the eyes and ears of our social workers. With volunteers out on the road watching out for [clients] and reporting anything they see that looks amiss, it helps us address issues with our seniors in real-time.”
Packing in A Little Joy
“Her special brand of volunteering is to pack a little joy into her meals,” Jill says of Debbie.
Debbie is a shining example of what Meals on Wheels represents: community rootedness, clarity of duty and an innate desire to serve others with a touch of perfectly measured magic.
“She always has that extra something that goes with the meals that make recipients realize they're important to her,” Jill says.
Debbie would bring her two grandchildren along for deliveries for years because she knew babies bring joy.
Jill wasn’t surprised to discover that Debbie learned sign language to better communicate with a deaf client, Dennis. Though, what struck Jill most was the beautiful simplicity.
“It was a perfect story and so relatable,” Jill says. “What she did encourages other volunteers to remember their clients after they're gone and think about the little things they can do to improve their day. So many things volunteers do go above and beyond and sometimes step outside of the role of a meal driver.”
Debbie, who taught her grandchildren basic signs as babies — words like “milk,” “water,” and “more to eat” — knows the importance of communication.
And when Dennis lost the ability to read lips when everyone started masking during the pandemic, Debbie leaped in to teach herself adult sign language, beginning with phrases like “Have a good day” and “See you next week,” things she said to other volunteers each week.
“I treat them all the same,” Debbie says of her clients. “That's why I wanted to learn sign language. I didn't want Dennis to have anything less.”
There are many barriers to communicating coherently in sign language, including aptitude in grammar, contextual meaning, and variation — yet that hasn’t stopped Debbie.
Over time, she’s advanced to phrases like “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Thanksgiving” and makes it a goal to learn new signs every couple of weeks, which Dennis often, lovingly, tweaks. He’s even gifted her a book Debbie describes as “Sign Language for Dummies.”
Human connection is the foundation of Meals of Wheels. Debbie’s story reminds us that volunteers forge relationships with people, not clients; something as simple as speaking to someone in their own language can make a profound difference.
Beyond the fingerspelling and other movements distinct to sign language, signing gives a unique texture to Debbie and Dennis’s bond.
The Power of a Knock
For Debbie, the fanfare of winning this year’s award is second to her unshakable dedication to her clients’ health and well-being.
The people she meets and cares for, not the accolades, keep her coming back.
“The Power of a Knock is knowing that by knocking on that door, you're making a difference to the person on the other side, that bringing them a meal will make them feel better,” Debbie tells us. “[It’s important that] they've got somebody they see daily. They depend on us every day to bring them a good meal.”
Debbie’s also quick to shine a light on her fellow volunteers, the work of SourcePoint, Meals on Wheels and their collective impact on the Delaware County community.
“Every volunteer is special. I don't consider myself special because we all work very hard and everybody does it for a reason,” Debbie says, who recently recruited her sister-in-law and a close friend as volunteers, acknowledging despite all the good that’s accomplished, there’s a need for more help.
Debbie always looks past what she can see because there’s always more to do.
If nothing else, recognizing Debbie signals that a knock is just the beginning, that simple kindnesses can be life-changing, and that you can always give a little extra.
It’s where the fellowship of food, language, and compassion meet and what keeps Meals on Wheels volunteers grounded.
A knock at the door might not seem like a big deal to many of us. But, to a homebound senior, it could signal the arrival of the only person they might see all day or all week long. A knock from Meals on Wheels transforms lives. Learn more at www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/knock.