Sign up yourself or a loved one
    Let us know of people who cannot prepare food for themselves

Do you need meals on a temporary or permanent basis? Are you caring for a loved one who does? Here are the answers to common questions:

How do I start? Let us know of the need. There are three ways:

-- Fill information into a page on this Website, which will send us the information by e-mail.

-- Mail or fax us a paper form with the same information.

-- Leave a message at Friendship Trays at 704-333-9229 to have someone call you.

What's next? A staff member at Friendship Trays will call to verify all information. In most cases someone will arrange to visit the prospective recipient at home. At some point we will need to discuss payment levels and payment methods with the recipient or a family member who has financial responsibility. If the recipient has medical issues, we will need to get a doctor's meal plan order. (Many of our recipients are originally referred to Friendship Trays by social service or medical workers.) If a special diet is necessary, deliveries can't begin until the doctor's orders are received.

How much? Every recipient is asked to pay. Nearly every one does pay something. About a quarter pay the full cost. We do not refuse service or discontinue service because of inability to pay.

How soon? Days to months. We add recipients quickly if there is room on an existing route. But if the route is full or if no route serves the prospective recipient's area, service can't begin. Which is why we are constantly seeking volunteers to drive routes and help prepare food, and donors whose gifts allow us to pay a few employees to drive routes.

How long? We do not cut off service to those who continue to need meals. The chart at the right shows 50 recipients have been receiving Friendship Trays for six or more years. But the vast bulk of our recipients do not stay that long, so places on existing delivery routes do open up on a regular basis. And we regularly re-interview recipients to confirm that they still need the service. But until volunteers step up to drive, or benefactors donate the money to pay a driver to serve a new route. we cannot add routes. We are growing, however, and we would encourage you to be sure we know about the people you know who are in need of the service.

Do you deliver way out? Current routes go west in Mecklenburg to Paw Creek Road; north to W.T. Harris Boulevard; east to Lebanon Road near the Cabarrus line; and south to around I-485. There are red flags on our delivery map for prospective recipients not near a current route. As we have more drivers we will create new routes to serve our neighbors in these areas.