Assignment 3: "A Real Superhero"

For this assignment, I photographed volunteers of the organization Meals on Wheels on Friday, September 10th, 2010 at the Grace Lutheran Church in State College. It is here that the organization prepares meals to be delivered to clients. A number of volunteers work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to prepare and deliver meals. Supervisor Anna Carol Buffington said "I think everyone in our organization is a hero. They go about their volunteering in a quiet manner, but they make a huge impact on the clients whom they serve." The State College branch of Meals on Wheels is now in its 39th year of operation, and has served between 1.2-1.3 million meals in that time period. 

Photo By: Chloe Elmer
Dawn Crews, 42, of State College, Pa., puts cling wrap on cheese sandwiches for Meals on Wheels at the Grace Lutheran Church on Friday morning, September 10th, 2010. Crews has volunteered for Meals on Wheels for three years, but says "I love it. I feel like I've been here forever." Meals on Wheels delivers hot and cold meals  to eight different routes in the State College Area School District. After preparing the meals for two hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the volunteers pack up decorated brown bags and insulated packages and deliver them to the clients. A team of eight prepared 160 of both hot and cold meals to deliver this day.

Photo By: Chloe Elmer
Bob Lindsay, 69, of State College, Pa., delivers a hot meal and a cold meal to Margaret Budd on Fairmont Avenue on Friday morning, September 10th, 2010. Lindsay, a retired employee of the U.S. Department of Justice and Penn State Alumnus, has been volunteering with Meals on Wheels for about 5 years. Lindsay drives Route 7 (out of 8 different routes throughout the State College Area School District), which is the local route, including homes in his own neighborhood.