For a friend undergoing chemo, her daughter has used a website called mealtrain.com to organize meals for her mom and dad. Friends always ask, "what can I do to help?" but then someone has to coordinate who is helping with what and when. This program includes a shared calendar and meal or errand instructions to answer questions in advance.

When planning my mom's funeral, I had a"What can I do to help, just ask, anything?" call  but when I listed a need like drive to Big City and pick up Auntie Em at the airport, the response was "well, no, I don't have time for THAT." An exchange like that leaves a bad taste. With this, the needs and preferences can be added to an interactive, online calendar, invitations to participate can be sent via e-mail and facebook, there are reminder emails, and there is an online journal for updates.

I hope my friend uses the journal. It would be nice to hear, without feeling like I'm intruding, how she is progressing.

Suggested uses for meal train: Arrival of a new baby, injuries/surgery, military deployment, extended illnesses, condolences, group events.