Norwood “Meals on Wheels” Program Seeks Volunteers Amid Summer Shortage-August 4, 1976

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Help Wanted: No Experience Needed; Net Pay: Satisfaction. While it might not appear in the standard help wanted columns, the need for volunteer workers for Norwood’s local “Meals on Wheels” program is very real, according to program coordinator Janet Ruboy. Rather than the normal pool of 50 or more active volunteers, the roster has dwindled to roughly 15 or 20 active workers due to summer vacations and attrition, severely handicapping the efficiency of the program. Wanted are meal packers and home delivery drivers who can expect to contribute no more than one hour every other week. Job requirements are straightforward: anyone from teenagers upwards who holds a driver’s license can sign up, with a license required even for packers because they must travel to the Ellis Nursing Home, where the meals are prepared.

Program coordinator Janet Ruboy—who resides at 19 Dorset St.—offered high praise for the current volunteers, calling them “a very loyal group who come out in all kinds of weather… They’re really doing a super job.” While she anticipates some volunteers re-enlisting after the vacation season concludes, she emphasized that “we still have to get those meals out.” Currently, Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious meals five days a week to 11 Norwood residents unable to prepare food for themselves at home. Although patrons include steady elderly customers, age is not a limiting factor; the sole requirement is medical clearance certifying a physical, mental, or disabling condition. Customers pay $2.50 a day for two daily meals—one hot and one cold—delivered simultaneously. Funded by the United Fund and private contributions, the Norwood program served 35 people during its inaugural year ending in May, following a global history that began in London during World War II to aid bombed-out elderly before launching nationally in Philadelphia in 1954. Those interested in volunteering can contact Janet Ruboy.

Meanwhile, in local real estate and development news, developer Richard Saccone secured preliminary planning board approval for Grandview Estates II, a sprawling 112-lot residential development spanning Union Street, Sumner Street, and Route I-95, which also incorporates 14 lots extending into Walpole. Richard Saccone noted that construction is slated to begin next spring, executing across five distinct stages over an estimated 10-year completion period. The newly approved layout differs from previous submissions by eliminating several cul-de-sacs, and approval was granted with the formal recommendation of the town engineer.

As the program continues its vital community work and residential projects move forward, residents reflect on the rich tapestry of local support and municipal planning that defines Norwood’s enduring character.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger