Meals on Wheels America (MoW) was originally started in January, 1954 by a small group of Philadelphia citizens. Their goal was simple: to act as the first experimental meal delivery program in America for senior citizens. The service hoped to help seniors in the area extend their independence and health, by providing nutritious meals to the disabled and elderly in the area. Volunteers were initially high school students, and dubbed the title “Platter Angels.” In 1974, Meals on Wheels was officially incorporated, and spread to cities across the country.
In my local community, the Dupage Senior Citizen’s Counsel (DSCC) has incorporated the Meals on Wheels as part of their senior outreach and aid program. Their mission focuses on enabling seniors who experience physical declines, financial hardship, and isolation.
The COVID-19 pandemic, especially in its early days, disproportionately affected senior citizens in our local communities. I was struck and moved by the high-level of health risk in addition to the challenges of loneliness and even hunger amongst the senior citizens in our community. I had to do my part to help and serve. In the spring of 2020 – during the raging pandemic – I became an active volunteer with Meals on Wheels at DSCC. I have described my initial experience in my August 2020 blog, “Serving Our Seniors in the Midst of a Pandemic.”
Since the spring of 2020 I have personally delivered over 1,500 meals, mostly during the summers. I plan to continue my volunteering with Meals on Wheels in the months and years to come.
