Since December 2018, Guardian’s New Employee Orientation program has incorporated service into our team members’ first week on the job. On the final day of every orientation week, each new employee spends the morning serving at Montgomery Area Council on Aging (MACOA), preparing, packaging, and organizing meals for that day’s delivery routes. Through Guardian’s partnership with MACOA, more than 200 Guardian employees have contributed towards a total of 597 completed hours of volunteer service.
While many in the River Region are familiar with the Montgomery Meals on Wheels program, most are unaware that MACOA has been serving Montgomery’s senior community for the past 50 years. They live out their mission by providing assistance to senior citizens through services that promote independent living, enhance quality of life, and increase community awareness of senior issues. MACOA serves more than 5,000 seniors per month and provides hot meals for 428 seniors Monday through Friday. Developed out of the overwhelming need in the community, the frozen meals program was established to serve those who are not yet able to participate in the hot Meals on Wheels program due to program volume and capacity. The hot meals program is accompanied by an extensive waiting list and serves seniors across Autauga, Elmore, and Montgomery Counties.
Training and Development Manager Whitney Morgan shared why working with MACOA is an important part of Guardian’s new employee orientation saying, “my favorite part of this volunteer program is spending time with our new hires and the people at MACOA while accomplishing such an important task. It’s a win-win situation. At the end of the day, we get to look back on how many meals we prepared together and think about the actual impact we helped create for people in our communities. Living out our shared values in a way that encourages us to connect with each other and provides such a tangible impact is so encouraging.”
If you would like to learn more about MACOA, please visit their website by clicking here.
If you are interested in becoming a Guardian Team Member, please visit our career page by clicking here.