Nina has been an integral part of our Meals on Wheels Team since 2000. She spent much of her childhood in England, near Stonehenge. She arrived in the United States a new bride, married to a military man in the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. Her first home in the United States was in Binghamton, New York, a region Nina affectionately refers to as having, “weather worse than Siberia.” Not wanting to brave the frozen tundra of Upstate New York, Nina begged her husband and her husband’s employer for relocation. Soon, their mobile home was shipped over 2,000 miles to the Bay Area.

 

While Nina is proud to call California her home and views it as the place to be, remaining here was not her original plan. “We were going to get rich and go back to England in five years,” she says with a smile. However, when she arrived life was not exactly what she envisioned. “I was surprised to see so many homeless people,” she says.

 

Since that moment, Nina made it her goal to help those in need. Once a week, Nina and a dedicated group of women fed the homeless in St. James Park. Nina went on to be a social worker with the Salvation Army, visiting the homeless under bridges and arranging services for those in need.

 

About twelve years ago, Nina came to Council on Aging Silicon Valley. Henri Villalovoz, Director of Senior Employment and Meals on Wheels at COASV, interviewed her. She was very interested in Meals on Wheels, which had a future scheduled vacancy. Three months later Nina began working as Meals on Wheels specialist. “There are so many people in need,” Nina says. Everyday Nina helps ensure that seniors get quality nutrition delivered to their homes.

 

“I have worked with Nina for many years and she has never lost her enthusiastic attitude for helping people with their food needs,” Henri says. “A superb nutrition coordinator is being a compassionate and giving person, and Nina certainly demonstrated those qualities. I am proud to work with such a sensitive and caring person.”

 

If you are interested in our Meals on Wheels services, please call our Information and Assistance Team at (408)350-3200, option 1.