Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels actually started in England during World War II. It was introduced into the United States in Pennsylvania in 1954 by Mrs. Clarence Toy, who heard about it from a British exchange student.

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Meals on Wheels began in Pueblo, Colorado in March 1971. At that time there were only 5 volunteer drivers and 20 clients. Today we deliver as many as 500 meals a day.

Meals on Wheels is a federally funded program for persons 60 years of age or older who are homebound, unable to prepare a meal, don't drive and have no one to cook for them.

One nutritious meal (providing 1/3 of the RDA) is delivered daily by local volunteer drivers between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Your meal should be eaten immediately or placed in the refrigerator to be eaten at a later time.

Our meals are suited for people following a low sodium, high fiber diet. If you have diabetes, our registered dietician would be happy to speak with you about how you can modify our meals to create the right amount of carbohydrates for you. She can also work with you to help accommodate any other dietary restrictions. Our foods are rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. We always keep your health in mind when planning our meals.

Clients must be home to receive their meals. At the beginning of each month a menu identifying the meal for each day is delivered. If a senior doesn't like the food offered on a certain day or will not be home, he/she is encouraged to cancel for that day. With each month's menu is a letter showing the number of days meals were provided in the previous month, and an envelope for mailing in a contribution.

The suggested contribution is $2 per day per person. No one is ever denied a meal because of his/her inability to contribute to the Meals On Wheels program.

Our case manager must assess all new clients. Once they have been approved they will be added as soon as room becomes available on the appropriate route.