Back in 2001, then-senior vice president Gary Wright proposed Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance (IFBI) employees volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana (MOWCI). Now, 25 years later, IFBI is proud to celebrate the lasting community impact that continues long after he retired.
Each Friday for the last 25 years, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance employees have volunteered to support MOWCI by delivering meals to neighbors in need. The first meal delivery route was completed on July 6, 2001, and since then, employees have completed approximately 1,300 routes and delivered around 22,000 meals.
“I think it’s so great that all these years later, the company is still delivering meals each week,” Wright says.
See more: Healing Herd: Veterans Find Community and Purpose Through Mustangs of Service
MOWCI provides medically tailored, nourishing and culturally appropriate meals while promoting social connectedness. Each MOWCI client on the route receives a hot meal and a cold meal option. The majority of MOWCI clients – about 80% – depend on financial assistance for their meals. MOWCI subsidizes meals for qualifying clients who are enrolled in a variety of assistance programs.
“We work really hard to keep costs down for clients through donations, grants and fundraisers,” says Barb Renshaw, director of development and outreach at MOWCI. “These funds help subsidize the cost of meals.”
Getting meals delivered to those who need them is no small task. That’s where volunteers from IFBI make a meaningful difference every Friday. Kim Parmenter, IFBI personal lines underwriter, has been giving her time since 2012, often bringing along coworkers or her grandchildren.
See more: Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Community Celebrates 10 Years
“I was happy IFBI offered this opportunity to employees,” Parmenter says. “We do it to help the MOWCI clients, but our hearts end up being touched. Volunteering can turn a bad day or bad mood into something better just knowing we are helping.”
For some, the MOWCI food delivery days have become a cherished personal tradition. Don Doty, a retired IFBI employee, and his wife, Darla, an IFBI software developer, make it a point to volunteer the day after Thanksgiving every year.
“Life has given me a lot, and so I like to give back when I can,” Don says. “I’m proud of how IFBI has fostered volunteerism in the community.”
As we look back on 25 remarkable years with MOWCI, we’re also looking forward and outward. Indiana is home to several other outstanding Meals on Wheels organizations, including programs serving Northwest Indiana, Evansville, Muncie and Terre Haute, to name a few.
If this story has inspired you to make a similar impact in your corner of the state, visit mealsonwheelsamerica.org/find-meals-and-services to find a Meals on Wheels organization near you. Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can deliver is the reminder that someone cares.
– Garrett Kelly, INFBI Senior Public Relations Specialist
See more: Faith CDC Farms and Orchard Addresses Food Inequity in Gary
