Meals on Wheels is best known for delivering hot, nutritious meals, but in Kiama the service is also delivering something just as vital: connection.

Through a partnership with The Bugle, volunteers are making sure that older residents who are isolated in their homes don’t just receive food, but also the news and stories of their own community.

Meals on Wheels manager Joanne North says this small act carries enormous weight.

“Many of our clients are isolated in their homes. By bringing them The Bugle, we’re helping them stay connected with their community - to know what’s happening, meet the local candidates, (for the by-election) hear their stories and feel a sense of ownership and belonging.”

It’s a reminder that community life doesn’t stop at the front door.

Around the world, loneliness among older people is being recognised as a public health crisis.

In fact, Australian older people are now considered the second most isolated group globally. In the UK, the issue is taken so seriously that there is a Minister for Loneliness.

Here in Kiama, Meals on Wheels and The Bugle are working together to counter this disconnection.

The local paper in the letterbox ties people back into real life, real people, and their own community.

But they can’t do it alone. Meals on Wheels depends on local volunteers and community support.

By giving your time to deliver meals, making a donation, or simply spreading the word, you can help ensure no one in our community feels forgotten.

As Joanne reminds us: “It’s critical that older people remain connected to their communities. When they get the local paper and know what’s happening in real life around them, it makes an enormous difference.”

What you can do to help:

• Volunteer a few hours a week to deliver meals (and smiles).
• Support Meals on Wheels Kiama with a donation.
• Share the message – connection matters.
• Check in on neighbours who may be living alone.

Kiama Meals on Wheels is about kindness, inclusion and belonging.

With all of us playing a part, we can make sure older residents continue to feel valued and connected right here in Kiama.

Contact the office on 02 4232 3735 to see what you can do.