Appreciation for a job well done can be hard to come by for many people.

But for Donna Albus, it’s there every day.

The coordinator of the Loaves and Fishes senior meal program says the patrons of the daily program let her and her volunteers know how much they and the program are valued.

“The people who come in here become your family, and this becomes their family,” she said. “They touch your hearts, they’re part of your life.”

The private nonprofit program serves hot meals to about 100 senior citizens in Astoria Monday through Friday at both a sit-down lunch at Peace Lutheran Church and through the Meals on Wheels program.

The former homemaker was looking for new opportunities as her kids grew up and took a job as dietary manager at the Crestview nursing home, where she worked for seven years before joining the Loaves and Fishes program nine years ago as a part-time worker. As program coordinator, she’s the only paid staff member, and relies on a team of volunteers

Albus is usually at the church kitchen by 5:30 a.m. Cooking, serving and cleaning up afterwards keeps her busy until 3 or 4 in the afternoon – then she goes shopping for the next day’s meal. After that, there’s often bookkeeping to take care of, or donated food items to pick up and sort.

The program is entirely supported by private donations and the $3 charge for diners. Albus keeps an eye out for sales and other ways to stretch the program’s budget and still make sure everyone gets fed. The number of diners varies, but Albus makes sure to prepare just a little more of that day’s meal – whether sandwiches or salmon, like last week’s menu included – than might be needed, because she’d rather put leftovers in the freezer than turn anyone away.

As important as a regular meal can be, especially for those on fixed incomes, for many of her regular patrons the food itself is less important than the chance to get together with others, Albus said.

“For a lot of them the only chance to sit and visit with people is to come in for lunch,” she said. “It’s food of a different kind.”

A closeness develops between the regulars – if a familiar patron hasn’t shown up for a day or two, the others will notice, and Albus or a volunteer

will phone the person to make he or she is all right. “They look out for each other,” she said.

Albus works with 55 volunteers who cook, clean, work the cash register and handle the other tasks necessary each day. A team of drivers deliver to the Meals on Wheels recipients with their own cars, paying for their own gas.

“It’s the volunteers’ help who make the program a success,” Albus said.

Her husband also pitches in, helping pick up donated food from local stores and sorting the items in their garage. Food the program can’t use is given to the local food bank, shelters or other organizations.

“They truly appreciate everything you do – they’re a beautiful bunch of people,” she said. “It’s about the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. It gives you the energy to keep going.”