We are so proud to honor John Mahoney with the award of Volunteer of the Quarter – September 2022. Every week, John’s route takes him throughout North Monterey County, to parts of the county that many living in the county have never seen. John is always willing to go the extra mile and his clients are grateful for his caring attitude and reliable deliveries. John Mahoney joined Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley (MOWSV) as a delivery volunteer in late September 2015 – he has been a dependable volunteer for over seven years! A few friends of John’s recommended volunteering to him because they said it was a good way to meet and assist people.

“Without question,” John stated, “my favorite part of being a volunteer is interacting with the people that we are serving. For some, our visit may be the only personal contact they have for that day. So, these deliveries are a welcome event. It’s also fun to get to get to know who these people are. Many have stories about their lives that they enjoy sharing with us. That’s a win-win on both sides.” 

John would recommend this volunteer experience to others, not just because it is an opportunity to help others but, because MOWSV is a well-run organization. Everyone (paid staff and volunteers) works well  together to carry out the program’s mission.

Before John began volunteering at MOWSV, he had retired after a career as a teacher, teaching 28 years at Gonzales High School and 7 years at Soledad High School. In addition to teaching the myriad of social science courses and some English as well, he assisted students with applying for government financial aid and scholarships.

John is a fourth generation native of Salinas and graduated from Palma High School back in the early 1960’s. Other than spending two years of active duty in the military, Salinas has been his home.

John’s favorite hobby is growing roses— presently he has over 90 varieties growing in his yard. Besides his volunteer activities with MOWSV, he is a 10-year volunteer at the Steinbeck House where he’s a member of the Valley Guild Executive Board, works in the gift shop and leads house tours throughout the year. John also enjoys volunteering to assist LULAC with their annual Thanksgiving dinner each year.

Thank you John for your commitment and dedication to MOWSV and your caring and concern for all the clients you serve every week.