There’s a new person leading Meals on Wheels Massachusetts, and it’s one of AgeSpan’s own.
AgeSpan Nutrition Manager Rebecca Kay was voted in by representatives of the state’s Aging Services Access Points (ASAP) as president of the organization.
“It’s something I had been thinking about,” said Kay, who previously served as the organization’s secretary. “I threw my hat in the ring, and they chose me.”
In her role at AgeSpan, Kay oversees the nutrition program coordinators at the Danvers office and Meals on Wheels for five towns on the North Shore. She also plans congregate meals and the traveling chef program for local councils on aging and supportive living sites.
Derek Anderson, AgeSpan’s Director of Nutrition Services, said Kay has been a great secretary for the association so it was only natural for her to take the next step.
“She exhibits daily a commitment to strengthen our association, leads by example with a great attitude, has great attention to detail, and her understanding of the great work being done by all members and how to help. Rebecca is a leader, and I couldn’t be prouder of her,” she says.
Kay has been active with Meals on Wheels Massachusetts since joining AgeSpan in June of 2020. The group, which consists of representatives from each of the state’s ASAPs, meets once a month to highlight programs and exchange ideas.
“Rebecca has already served as secretary of Mass Meals on Wheels for two years,” said Meals on Wheels Massachusetts Nutrition Director Meghan Ostrander. “In this time, she showed herself to be a great leader who is focused on strengthening Mass Meals On Wheels to better serve the older adults of the Commonwealth.”
One of the sparks that led her to volunteer for the president position in Massachusetts came after representing the agency at the national Meals on Wheels America conference in Arizona. She wants to ensure the Meals on Wheels program retains and strengthens its collaborative efforts across Massachusetts.
Most of the meetings are virtual, but one thing Kay said she’d like to change as president is to have more meetings in person. She also wants to make sure the lines of communication stay open between the ASAPs and share information.
“Our meetings are very informative and that’s really important,” Kay said. “I want to keep extending that, keep us going and see what we can do in the future.”
Meals on Wheels provides adults 60 and older and qualified individuals with disabilities with a hot meal delivered to their door, five days a week to help them maintain their health and independence. Our staff and volunteers provide more than 850,000 meals a year. Statewide, the number of home-delivered meals is more than 9 million annually.
