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Volunteers for the Mobile Meals of Hamilton Township program said they relish bringing food and companionship to people who otherwise would have a tough time getting either.

But if a current trend continues, Mobile Meals’ volunteers and clients may both be out of luck.

Mobile Meals of Hamilton Township executive director Eileen Eversheim said the program, just weeks from its 35th anniversary, has enough volunteers to operate. Eight volunteers deliver 100 meals to homes around Hamilton every weekday. Volunteers work one day a week for roughly an hour.

In one November week, the program lost three volunteers, a large number considering the program needs eight people daily to operate.

“We’re doing it,” Eversheim said. “But we’re getting close to not having enough volunteers. The apparent age of volunteerism is over. People are having a tough time with the economy. Now people don’t have the luxury of retiring early.”

With winter approaching, the situation may become dire for the program as weather conditions start to become dangerous for the volunteer base comprised almost entirely of senior citizens. Eversheim said she’ll occasionally ask some volunteers not to do their routes if there could be ice on the roads or sidewalks and there is a danger someone could slip and fall.

Eversheim has met with most of the senior citizens’ groups in the township in an effort to recruit more volunteers. Seniors are the key target for Mobile Meals because they are presumably retired and available during the day, but the program isn’t limited to just senior citizens, both in volunteers or clients.

There aren’t many Mobile Meals volunteers who hold full-time jobs, but staff members at the Hamilton Area YMCA have proven it is possible to work and volunteer at the same time. The YMCA has a dedicated route on Fridays, and two different YMCA staffers run it each week during their lunch break. There are four Mobile Meals routes in total, and each route receives two volunteers.

“We know how important volunteerism is because we rely on volunteers for our programs,” Hamilton Area YMCA executive assistant Barbara Hoglen said. “We look forward to doing this.”

The program does require some dedication of its volunteers, whose responsibilities begin around 11 a.m. when they collect the day’s deliveries from the cafeteria at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. A dietitian at RWJ prepares the meals for the program, which ensures the food delivered to clients won’t interact with any medication they are taking or upset any allergies they may have.

Kim Miller has been on staff at RWJ for five years, and she lists preparing meals for the Mobile Meals program as one of her favorite duties.

“It’s fantastic,” Miller said. “It’s a service of community. There are so many people who don’t have anyone. I hope this program is around when I’m older.”

Eversheim and the Moblie Meals board of directors have been brainstorming ways to recruit members and ensure the program lasts well into the future. Part of the challenge is to ensure people they can spare one hour a week to help a good cause, Mobile Meals board member James Federici said.

“It’s very, very difficult to find people to come out, even if it is just once a week,” Federici said. “It’s tough to get volunteers. We’re lucky to have the people we have. Anytime someone can’t do it any longer, we struggle. We go around and recruit people, but it’s tough. [Eversheim] tries to convince them it would not inconvenience them to do this once a week.”

Federici runs a route once a week, usually delivering 16 meals to 13 homes. He said the experience has enriched his life as much — if not more — than the lives he helps.

Volunteer Martin VanArsdale echoed Federici’s sentiments. He said he wanted to give back to the community after retiring four years ago, and decided to join Mobile Meals after hearing it needed volunteers.

Since then, VanArsdale has developed relationships with the people on his route.

“We’ve had several passed away,” VanArsdale said. “You feel hurt because it’s like they’re family. I was sick a couple different times, and one of the clients sent me a card. It made me feel really good.”

The husband and wife team of Curtis and Nevonne Darkes also had similar justification for their service. They are a pair of more senior Mobile Meals volunteers. Curtis, counting every month, said he is “88 and a half.”

Nevonne declined to say her age, but said she and her husband are in excellent health and plan to volunteer for Mobile Meals for as long as they possibly can. They’ve already volunteered with the program for 10 years, running one of the more involved routes through Yardville, Groveville and on Arena Drive.

Nevonne had the idea to volunteer for Mobile Meals, but she said Curtis is a full-time supporter of the organization. They both felt they should do something good in their post-retirement free time. Nevonne said being involved and visiting the Mobile Meals clients helps reinforce how thankful she is for her active lifestyle.

“They’re pathetic sometimes,” Nevonne Darkes said. “You go in, and the house is dark. They’re all closed in. I feel sorry for them.”

Federici also said the people he visits live in shut-in conditions, which makes his service more necessary. On top of delivering food, Mobile Meals volunteers also offer companionship and can provide assistance to someone who may not have been able to receive it otherwise.

The clients do not hide their appreciation, and he said that makes all his effort worth it.

“I find it very rewarding, and I know from the contact I make every week that the people are most appreciative of everything that we do,” Federici said. “They develop a bond with you. They look forward to seeing you. They’re happy. That makes me feel good because sometimes I know I’m the only person they see that day. I’m the only human contact that they have.”

For more information, go online to mobilemealshamilton.org or call (609) 448-4088.