Meals on Wheels Chicago
Cause Area
- Hunger
- People with Disabilities
- Seniors
Location
314 West Superior StreetSuite 300Chicago, IL 60654 United StatesOrganization Information
Mission Statement
Meals on Wheels Chicago envisions a community in which all basic needs are met and barriers to achieving independence are eliminated. We achieve this by raising both funds and awareness to support home meal delivery to eligible senior citizens and people with disabilities. Our mission is to ensure that Chicago seniors and people with disabilities benefit from nutritious meal programs that improve their quality of life and maximize independence.
Description
ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS CHICAGO : The holidays can be a really tough time for those who are homebound because they remember their loved ones who have passed away. Just hearing the holiday song they used to love to sing with their spouse only intensifies their feelings of isolation. More than 30 years ago, a group of community leaders were shocked to learn that Chicago’s senior citizens were not receiving a meal on holidays - when these seniors most acutely felt alone and isolated. As a result, a partnership was formed in 1987 and Meals on Wheels Chicago was founded. On Thanksgiving Day, 1988, the very first holiday meal was delivered to 1,218 homebound senior citizens and a tradition was born.
Thirty years on, Meals on Wheels Chicago continues to work on eliminating hunger and isolation by delivering festive meals on major holidays, reminding our older neighbors they haven’t been forgotten. In the meantime, we have expanded our services to include home-delivered meals to people with disabilities and volunteer opportunities to socialize with our elder neighbors at Chicago regional senior centers.