Meals on Wheels

At the same time, the program provides vital social interactions for its recipients, helping combat the social isolation that impacts many seniors. A form of giving rooted in a shared commitment to the common good, Meals on Wheels enables older adults to remain connected to the community while retaining their autonomy and dignity. 

Arose out of the War Effort in England

The original Meals on Wheels service launched in Welwyn Garden City, a town 20 miles north of London, in December 1943. Organized by the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS: later the Royal Voluntary Service), a British aid group that provided humanitarian relief on the home front, the program was originally designed to assist elderly residents who were struggling to meet their basic needs. In the beginning, the organization purchased meals from local restaurants, then delivered them by car throughout the town. 

Within a year, the WVS was making two weekly deliveries, providing 213 meals each month. In November 1944, a second Meals on Wheels service began operating in the neighboring town of Letchworth. Following the war, these pilot programs became the basis of a national Meals on Wheels service. By 1947, 38 Meals on Wheels operations were operating throughout England. The program grew extensively over the next decade and a half; by the early 1960s it was delivering four million meals from 790 locations annually. 

The success of Meals on Wheels soon inspired similar programs in other English-speaking countries. The first Meals on Wheels service outside of England launched in Australia in 1953. A year later, American social worker Margaret Toy (1897-1989), helped inaugurate the first US program in Philadelphia, enlisting high school volunteers known as “Platter Angels” to prepare and deliver meals to the elderly. In 1963, a Canadian woman named Elsie Matthews, having observed the service while traveling in England, coordinated with the Red Cross of Canada to create the first Meals on Wheels program in Brantford, Ontario. A Meals on Wheels program emerged in Ireland in 1971.

Meals on Wheels in the United States

In the US, Meals on Wheels expanded rapidly after 1972, when the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program created federal subsidies for the initiative. In 1976, Meals on Wheels America was founded to provide support to local initiatives nationwide. 

Operating independently, American Meals on Wheels programs typically source their food from local restaurants, chefs and caterers, while partnering with nonprofits to recruit volunteers to make deliveries. Local and state government nutritionists provide health guidelines to ensure dietary needs are met – for example, preparing low sodium and diabetic meals for people with specific health conditions – while providing guidance on how to prepare food so that older people can easily chew and digest it.

Meals on Wheels serves adults 60 years of age and older who are unable to prepare their own meals and have no caregiver to help them. The program has no income restrictions, and while it encourages nominal donations, they are not required. Funding for Meals on Wheels derives from federal, state and local grants, as well as private donations. 

By 2022, two million Meals on Wheels volunteers, working with 5,000 local programs, were delivering 223 million meals to 2.4 million seniors annually in the US. Still, these figures fell far short of overall demand for the service. As of 2020, Meals on Wheels America estimated that 83% of older adults experiencing food insecurity were not receiving the program’s services. 

While expanding Meals on Wheels would require increased funding, research has shown that the potential financial benefits greatly outweigh projected expenses. For example, by enabling elderly individuals to continue living independently, Meals on Wheels can help eliminate or delay the need for them to enter residential nursing care – resulting in a significant reduction in overall healthcare costs. 

More than anything, Meals on Wheels embodies the collective spirit of a healthy, vibrant society. Designed to ensure that marginalized groups receive the care they need – while ensuring they remain connected to the community – Meals on Wheels represents an approach to generosity that is pragmatic, compassionate and inclusive. 

Contributor: Stephen Meyer