Homecooked meals often take us back to simpler times when we were young and our parents tended to our cold or soothed our bad day. Delicious ingredients made by someone we love brings us comfort and lets us know we are not alone. Janice Zaring of Newport thinks about this when she prepares soups and casseroles for Homeland Hospice patients and families. Homeland Hospice is a nonprofit hospice program that serves communities throughout Central Pennsylvania.
“I think about the families who will eat the meals I prepare,” Janice says. “I want them to know people care about them.”
Janice understands the power of compassion during difficult times. Last year, she lost her father to cancer. While Janice and her sister served as caregivers, they found support through Homeland Hospice during her father’s final days. Homeland’s HomeCare services allowed her father to pass peacefully at his home with his family by his side. Within the months following his passing, Janice felt a sense of emptiness as she searched for a way to give back in a meaningful and tangible manner.
“I know what it is like to walk down this path,” Janice says. “I love to cook and thought I could help others.”
Last fall, as many people in the community experienced food insecurity as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were halted, Janice and members of the Mission Committee at Newport Highland Presbyterian Church went into action preparing meals and providing fellowship for families in Newport. Watching families enjoy a warm, homecooked meal was yet another reminder of how food nourishes the body and soul. Around this time, Janice’s sister-in-law, told her about Homeland’s Soup and Casserole Program led by Ory Bower, Homeland Hospice Volunteer Coordinator.
“I connected with Ory and started cooking immediately,” Janice adds. “It is easy to add a few quarts of soup to my recipe when I am cooking for my family.”
For Ory, the call from Janice was a godsend. Homecooked meals are a treasured gift for hospice patients and their families. Ory likes to keep Homeland’s freezer stocked so anyone in need can receive a meal. Homeland provides all soup and casserole containers for the volunteers to help the process run smoothly. All meals are labeled with the ingredients, reheating instructions, and the name of each volunteer who prepared the meals.
“Our families are very grateful for the donations,” Ory says. “Sometimes it’s the little things that mean so much.”
Ory has been a member of the Homeland team for more than five years and has worked in his current capacity for more than a year. He finds hope, inspiration and a well of compassion from the organization’s volunteers who are the lifeblood of Homeland’s work. Like Janice, Ory believes the act of giving replenishes the soul.
“My soul needed this,” Janice adds. “Cooking for Homeland families has filled my cup in ways I never imagined.”
For more information on Homeland’s Soup and Casserole Program along with other volunteer opportunities, call Ory Bower, at (717) 221-7890.
