A Full Circle of Service and Healing

A Return to Service

Life has a funny way of coming full circle. In the late ’90s, Ken Nelson joined the board of Meals on Wheels of Polk County, but the demands of a career in journalism and public relations forced him to pause his involvement. After retiring in 2009, Ken returned to the board with a renewed sense of duty. Then came the chaos of COVID-19, and with it, an increased need to serve more homebound seniors in the community and a more significant volunteer force to help with deliveries. Ken didn’t hesitate to jump in as a driver.

The organization’s unique dedication to intervene where needed comes from its strong sense of community, which is the engine that drives everything it does. Community support, including an annual fundraiser and an ongoing, board-led fundraising effort, represents a high percentage of the organization’s budget. The organization also operates an on-site thrift store that accounts for one-third of its total operating budget. “We have a lot of generous people in the community that contribute to the [mission],” Ken says. “It’s community-based; that’s how it was established 52 years ago.”

Ken is no stranger to community service; he has served as charity director for the local Knights of Columbus Council and as a member of the Florida Public Relations Association, which engages in regular charitable work, and he has contributed to feeding people experiencing homelessness through the Mackie Ministries. However, he says the size and reach of the local Meals on Wheels program makes it unique among similar charitable organizations. “It’s bigger,” Ken says. “[Our] Meals on Wheels [serves] from 500 to 600 people a day.” Ken acknowledges that being a driver offers much more than the opportunity to provide a nutritious meal to someone in need.

“When you’re driving, you’re not only going out and putting food [on the table]; you may be the only person someone sees in a given day,” Ken says. “You’re interacting with people, letting them know they’re wanted and not forgotten. Drivers develop a bond with [recipients].”

Finding Purpose in the Kitchen and Beyond

One person is stirring a pot, another is seasoning meat and a third is pushing a cart. A team of people is positioned along a conveyor belt. There’s scooping, pouring, the clanking of cans, the pleasant sound of conversation, the steady rhythm of a well-oiled food prep and distribution line, and, of course, there are fashionable hairnets (if ever such a thing existed). Ken Nelson is here for it. One day, responding to a request for more help in the Meals on Wheels of Polk County kitchen, Ken tried his hand at meal prep. This decision transformed Ken’s involvement in the organization’s efforts. “I found my niche,” Ken says.

In the kitchen, Ken gained a deeper understanding of the organization’s sophisticated food operations. The experience also offers the added benefits of cherished comradery with volunteers and the chance to grow his culinary skills. “We’ve got real professional chefs in there, and they’ve taught me a lot about how to prepare my meals at home,” Ken says. “And we have a dynamic group of volunteers that get along well. We all do it for the same [reason]: we want to help other people.”

Ken describes the organization as “a big cohesive team,” all working together to achieve one goal: feeding and supporting homebound seniors. From the volunteers to the program staff, the thrift store staff, the full-time cooks, the head chef, the assisting chef, and the leadership and board members, every person and every component moves in sync. The organization’s founding principle of community ownership shines through in every aspect; the organization must ensure that no seniors within its reach go without the nutritious meals and moments of connection they need.

More Than a Meal, A Community Effort

The organization also prides itself on its diverse food offerings, which are planned by chefs who work to ensure the meals are nutritious and healthy. Seniors enjoy well-seasoned pork chops, fresh whitefish, homemade meatloaf, chicken parmesan over spaghetti and more. Preparing meals feels less like working a shift in a commercial kitchen and more like bonding with loved ones. For Ken, family is where the heart leads you, especially a heart that needs constant mending.

In 2020, Ken lost his wife, a pediatrician from the Philippines, and he has found comfort in volunteering for his local Meals on Wheels provider. For Ken, grief never meant retreating into himself or away from his community. He pours all his love for his wife into doing more for others. “I’ve stepped up my involvement since she passed away because it’s been helpful to getting over her passing,” Ken shares. “It’s good to have another family to come to. I consider Meals on Wheels an extension of my family. These people are my brothers and sisters.” That heart for the family he gets to choose and all the good they accomplish together keeps Ken involved as a volunteer. It’s an unconditional, healing love and a beautiful circle of giving and receiving.