Adopt a Route

Older female client smiles at her green door as she is handed her meal from an female volunteer

Forge Lasting Connections with Seniors in Durham

Imagine making a difference in someone's life with just a few hours of your time each week. By adopting a delivery route, you can create meaningful relationships with homebound older adults who eagerly await your visits. As an adopted delivery driver, you'll have the opportunity to consistently serve the same group of seniors, allowing you to build trust and companionship while becoming familiar with your route.

When you commit to a route, you'll drive it regularly—usually weekly or bi-weekly. This consistency not only helps you master the area but also ensures that your chosen route is reserved just for you on your designated days. Join us in this rewarding experience and be the friendly face that brings joy and support to our senior community members. Sign up today to adopt a route and start making a heartfelt impact!

"I’ve been a MOWD driver for 3 years. Although I get a lot of satisfaction delivering meals to a multitude of people on different routes, I didn’t realize the impact and satisfaction I’d realize once I adopted a route. To me, it’s become the importance of the relationships. I am now delivering to “friends” each week which has broadened and enhanced my volunteer experience." - Chris

"Adopting a route every Wednesday has enabled me to know the route, make a commitment in my schedule to MOWd,  and gives me a connection to several of the clients on my route!" - doug

"I adopted a route shortly after I started volunteering with Meals on Wheels. I've now known these clients for about two years and seeing friendly and familiar faces each week, getting a chance to catch up with them, and knowing many of the clients look forward to my visit makes the Meals on Wheels experience a truly rewarding experience. To me, delivering for Meals on Wheels is a great experience any way you do it, but adopting a route and building those connections makes it a very special and a unique volunteer opportunity." - suzanne

"Adopting a route has made my MOWd experience even more rewarding.  For me, an important component of MOWd's service is the development of a relationship with the clients.  Route adoption allows for such relationships to develop.  Whether a relationship is based on a simple familiarity or on a more robust connection, it is a meaningful and fulfilling part of my MOWd service…and I recommend route adoption to all volunteers." - mark

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Please contact our Volunteer Services Coordinator to share the specific route or area you wish to adopt, along with your preferred day for volunteering.

Absolutely! Groups—such as faith-based organizations, corporate teams, associations, or clubs—can adopt a specific route and rotate driver assignments among their members. This allows each person to drive the same route on different days according to their availability. Group leaders can create a shared calendar to coordinate schedules, making it easy for members to sign up for their preferred days. To get started, please contact our Volunteer Services Coordinator.

We ask that adopted route volunteers drive on their assigned day as much as possible. If you need to cancel a shift, you can take yourself off the schedule using your Scheduler portal or by contacting the Volunteer Services Coordinator. If you cancel 50% or more of your committed shifts within a 3 month period, the Volunteer Services Coordinator will need to revisit your route adoption status to see if there is something that works better for your schedule.

Routes Needing Adoption

Frozen Meal Routes Available to Adopt

  • C2 - Northwest Durham; spread out across Hillsborough Road, Cole Mill Road, Croasdaile Ave.
  • Diane 1 - Deliveries are closest to MOWD office. S. Alston, E Main St, Liberty St.
  • Diane 2 - Deliveries are closest to MOWD office. Holloway St, E Main St, E Geer St, N Magnum St, Avondale Dr, W Knox St, N Roxboro St. Old Five Points, Duke Park.
  • F3 - East Durham; spread out suburban route east of MOWD offices. Stalings Rd, Wake Forest Rd, Sherron Rd.
  • J - East of downtown; Wellons Village and Hyde Park area. Holloway St, Rt 55, N Miami Blvd.
  • Y2 - Northeast Durham. Spread out suburban/rural route. Burton Rd, North of Halloway St, Junction Rd.

Hot Meal Routes Available to Adopt

  • ​​​​​​​27701A - Northeast of city center. Old North Durham, Albright, Duke Park.
  • 27703D - Southeast Durham. Bethesda, Triangle Development.
  • 27704B - Northeast Durham, rural route. Gorman.
  • 27704G - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Pickwick Trail, Braggtown area.
  • 27705B - Northwest Durham. Bennett Place, Crosdaile Farm Master. 
  • 27705C - North central Durham. Walltown, Trinity Park, north of Duke East Campus. 
  • 27707B - Central Durham. Hayti District, Hillside Ave / St. Theresa, northwest of NCCU campus.
  • 27707D - Central Durham. Campus Hills and NCCU area. 
  • 27713C - Southeast Durham. Emory Woods, south of Hillside High School.

Hot Meal Routes Available to Adopt

  • ​​​​​​​27701D - Apartment buildings in central Durham, south of Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Morehead Hill area.
  • 27704A - North Durham. Northgate Park, I-85 Corridor, near Duke Regional Hospital.
  • 27704B - Northeast Durham, rural route. Gorman.
  • 27704C - Northeast Durham. Braggtown, Colonial Village.
  • 27704D - North Durham. Marquis-Pierre, Peppertree Townhomes.
  • 27704F - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Stephen's Lane, Eno Valley, Bluffs of the Eno.
  • 27704G - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Pickwick Trail, Braggtown area.
  • 27705B - Northwest Durham. Bennett Place, Crosdaile Farm Master. Near I-85.
  • 27707A - Central Durham. Hillside Park, Dunbarton, Breckenridge.
  • 27707B - Central Durham. Hayti District, Hillside Ave / St. Theresa, northwest of NCCU campus.
  • 27712A - Northwest Durham. Grande Park, Latta Rode, north of Eno River. 

Hot Meal Routes Available to Adopt

  • 27701A - Northeast of city center. Old North Durham, Albright, Duke Park.
  • 27701D - Apartment buildings in central Durham, south of Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Morehead Hill area. 
  • 27703C - Rural route in East Durham, near MOWD office. Between Wake Forest Hwy and 70. Wedgewood, Grove Park, Shaw Hills.
  • 27704B - Northeast Durham, rural route. Gorman.
  • 27704C - Northeast Durham. Braggtown, Colonial Village. 
  • 27704D - North Durham. Marquis-Pierre, Peppertree Townhomes. 
  • 27704E - Northeast Durham. Near Sandy Ridge Elementary School. Hebron Rd.
  • 27704F - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Stephen's Lane, Eno Valley, Bluffs of the Eno. 
  • 27705B - Northwest Durham. Bennett Place, Crosdaile Farm Master. Near I-85.
  • 27705C - North central Durham. Walltown, Trinity Park, north of Duke East Campus.
  • 27707B - Central Durham. Hayti District, Hillside Ave / St. Theresa, northwest of NCCU campus.
  • 27707C - Central Durham. West of NCCU campus, near Hillside Park. 
  • 27712A - Northwest Durham. Grande Park, Latta Rode, north of Eno River.
  • 27713E - South Durham. Hope Valley Farms.

Hot Meal Routes Available to Adopt

  • 27503A - Far north Durham. Bahama, Rougemont.
  • 27701D - Apartment buildings in central Durham, south of Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Morehead Hill area.
  • 27703A - East Durham. Suburban houses near MOWD office. Joyland, Twin Lakes, Greyson's Green, and Ridgewood.
  • 27704A - North Durham. Northgate Park, I-85 Corridor, near Duke Regional Hospital.
  • 27704B - Northeast Durham, rural route. Gorman.
  • 27704E - Northeast Durham. Near Sandy Ridge Elementary School. Hebron Rd.
  • 27704F - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Stephen's Lane, Eno Valley, Bluffs of the Eno. 
  • 27704G - Apartment buildings in North Durham. Pickwick Trail, Braggtown area. 
  • 27705A - West Durham. Apartment buildings near Duke University. 
  • 27705C - North central Durham. Walltown, Trinity Park, north of Duke East Campus. 
  • 27707B - Central Durham. Hayti District, Hillside Ave / St. Theresa, northwest of NCCU campus.
  • 27707C - Central Durham. West of NCCU campus, near Hillside Park.
  • 27707D - Central Durham. Campus Hills and NCCU area. 
  • 27707G - Western central Durham. Tuscaloosa Lakewood, University Dr. 
  • 27712A - Northwest Durham. Grande Park, Latta Rode, north of Eno River. 
  • 27713B - Southeast Durham. RTP area
  • 27713C - Southeast Durham. Emory Woods, south of Hillside High School.