Helen’s Big day of Giving for Meals on Wheels

All donations are doubled!! Big Day of Giving is incredibly important to me, and this cause is deeply personal.

I never imagined I would find myself as the Assistant Chief at Meals on Wheels Yolo County. After being laid off from my medical job at UC Davis, I truly didn’t know what my next chapter would look like. As I searched for a new path, I kept feeling pulled toward food. After running my own catering business for over 25 years, it felt like maybe that was where I was meant to be.

That journey led me here.

Now, I get to combine my love of helping others with something I’ve always been passionate about nourishing people through food. Every time I cook, I find myself thinking about the person on the other end of that meal… who they are, what they might be going through, and how something as simple as a warm meal can make a difference.

This work became even more meaningful after caring for my great uncle, Larry Jorgensen of Esparto. He was a Yolo County Deputy Coroner in the 70s and 80s, and in August of last year, he was placed on hospice. I became his primary caregiver since I lived right next door, but there was one challenge I traveled frequently for my medical job and needed a way to make sure he had healthy, nourishing meals while I was away.

A hospice nurse suggested Meals on Wheels Yolo County. There was a waitlist, but with Kathy’s help, my uncle soon began receiving meals delivered right to his door. It brought me so much peace knowing he was cared for in that way.

Now I see firsthand every day just how important this service is.

The need continues to grow as our aging community grows, and these meals mean more than just food they provide comfort, connection, and dignity.

If you’re able to give, even something small like the cost of your daily cup of coffee it truly makes a difference. And if you can give more, it will help us reach even more people in our community who need us.

My heart is so full, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do this work.

Please help me reach my goal of $1,000 and support Meals on Wheels Yolo County.

Thank you so much 💛

https://mtyc.co/n9wi9f

The local senior population is growing rapidly as the Baby Boom generation ages, older adults' access to public food assistance programs is less reliable than in the past, and the tragic health consequences of social isolation are gaining recognition.  

Simultaneously, Meals on Wheels Yolo County (MOW Yolo) is resource-challenged to provide more meals and more friendly contact to more seniors, and government sources provide only 15% of MOW Yolo's annual budget.  It's community members LIKE YOU who provide the majority of MOW Yolo's funding...Yolo County residents caring for and providing for their elder neighbors.  MOW Yolo is rooted in community and has been for 51 years!

In 2026, MOW Yolo already has cleared a path for 200+ previously waitlisted senior to join the Home-Delivered Meals program.  This means MOW Yolo now is striving to provide as many as 1,400 aging adults in Yolo County with the opportunity to predictably "EAT:  Eat, Age, Thrive" in their own homes and communities, safely and with dignity.  With government funding both reduced and uncertain, it's YOU — our community of compassionate donors and volunteers — who are the heroes making MOW Yolo's mission and Strategic Plan goals possible:

• Fresh, local nutritious food
• Vegetarian and medically-tailored meals options
• Engaging congregate dining experiences
• More rural meals access