Guilford Interfaith Ministries

Our goal is to help any Guilford (Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visiting) resident in need of our services, regardless of age or income.
Guilford’s elderly, frail and disabled population continues to grow. The nutritious food Meals on Wheels provides improves health and well-being, and the daily visit serves as a wellness/safety check. Without our program, many seniors would be placed in assisted living or nursing homes due to their inability to shop for food or prepare their own meals. We have also seen an increase in applications from people recovering from surgery or illness. To stay within budget, most Meals on Wheels programs limit the number of clients served, and have lengthy waiting lists. So far, we have been able to operate without a waiting list, offering services usually on the same day that they are requested (currently serving around 25,000 meals to about 200 Guilford residents per year).
Our medical equipment program, Charlie's Closet, keeps growing. Changes in Medicare and rising costs make obtaining needed equipment unaffordable for many people. We are now getting requests from people willing to drive one hour to pick up equipment. Last year there was a 25% increase in the number of articles provided (7,324) and a 14% increase in the clients receiving equipment. On the other hand, we are also helping the environment, as reusing medical equipment keeps it from going to the landfill once it is not needed anymore.

The Guilford MOW program operates smoothly and successfully because of its unique working relationship with the Town of Guilford. The Guilford Seniors program (part of Guilford Parks and Recreation) has a cook and kitchen staff. Meals on Wheels pays Parks and Rec a fixed amount per meal, a portion of the staff salary and all packaging costs.
We are aware that food is the first expense that many seniors cut when money is tight. We ask that the clients pay what they can, from $0.25 to $5 per meal. In the last fiscal year, client payments covered about 52% of the program costs. The remaining funding comes from donations, fundraising events, and grants (from the town, through Human Services), from the Guilford Community Fund, and from the local faith communities.
Twelve years ago, we partnered with the Guilford Housing Authority as they were applying for grants to build a new housing complex. They invited us to build our office and a barn to store medical equipment in their land, which has allowed us to keep a very low overhead.
We have a 4 person staff to run the programs and coordinate the efforts of our 200 volunteers.
Although in Charlie's Closet we only ask for a $1 donation per piece of medical equipment, many recipients donate much more, as they are saving hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of dollars. The equipment provided last year would have cost around $750,000 if purchased new.

Our motto is "neighbor helping neighbor", and thanks to the generosity of the Guilford community (financial and volunteers) and the support of the town authorities we have been able to fulfill different needs in the community as they have been identified.
Our first program, Meals on Wheels, started in 1985 when a local doctor reached out to the local faith communities about the need to feed our frail, elderly residents. Two years later, as the drivers realized that many clients were feeling lonely and isolated, and could benefit from a longer visit, GIM started the Friendly Visiting program. In 1994, the Guilford Social Services department requested our help in running the local Food Bank. Finally, in 1998, a Board member requested a piece of medical equipment from a friend, resulting in the creation of Charlie's Closet.
Currently, each of our programs is run by a staff person who coordinates the work of our 200 volunteers and the daily run of the program.
We have been fortunate to have the support of the Town of Guilford and to work closely with them. The food for our Meals on Wheels program is prepared by town staff at the Community Center. GIM pays for the meals and to cover part of the staff salaries.
We also work closely with the town's Social Services Department in the running of the Food Bank. They screen the clients, and GIM trains and coordinates the volunteers that run it.

With the support of the Guilford community, we have been able to adapt to the growing demands, both financially and manpower (volunteers) that make our programs possible. Since 1985 our Meals on Wheels volunteers have delivered almost 600,000 meals (currently about 25,000 per year).

Charlie's Closet went from providing a few pieces of equipment to over 7,300 pieces of equipment this year, and it is the largest lending closet in the state.