JOIN US FOR THE 2021 MEALS ON WHEELS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO

Registration is now open for our 2021 virtual convening of Meals on Wheels programs and professionals from across the country. While we’re not quite ready to put the uncertainties behind us and get back to our popular, in-person Annual Conferences, we recognize that after more than a year of virtual events, Zoom fatigue is very real. So, we sought feedback from Members on the ideal format and found clear interest in having this year's Annual Conference be spread throughout the month of August.

SAVE THESE DATES!

DAY 1 – Wednesday, August 11
DAY 2 – Tuesday, August 17
DAY 3 – Thursday, August 26
DAY 4 – Tuesday, August 31

Each day’s events will take place between the hours of 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT – 5:15 p.m. ET / 2:15 p.m. PT. Even if you can’t participate in all of our scheduled events live, attendees will be able to access all the high-quality, on-demand content when it is most convenient through the end of the year!

AGENDA BY DAY

2021 FOCUS AREAS

We're creating a virtual event that’s timely and relevant, easily accessible and conscious of your busy schedule. Each of the four days will have familiar Conference elements and focus on a specific area that is critical to enabling the network to go further as we emerge from the pandemic and beyond.

BUILDING CAPACITY TO SERVE MORE – Together we will focus on the key principles that will enable the network to sustain high demand for services, eliminate wait lists and offer more to existing clients for years to come such as fundraising, partnerships, advocacy, volunteer engagement and more.

HONING OUR TRUSTED SERVICE MODEL – As we emerge from pandemic crisis mode, we will focus on delivering a full range of More Than a Meal® services, with an emphasis on meeting the diverse nutritional needs of today's seniors and addressing social isolation in new and impactful ways.

LEVERAGING THE POWER OF MEALS ON WHEELS – Brand awareness and favorability have never been higher, and the trusted reputation that programs have built in local communities over the last 50 years no doubt kept the value of the Meals on Wheels offering top of mind during the pandemic, opening the door to much needed funding and resources. Together, we will explore building on our shared brand equity, maintaining momentum, further defining our value proposition with data and storytelling and much more.

LEADING PROGRAMS INTO THE FUTURE – Our programs have been hit hard, our teams are burnt out, and we are grappling with racial injustice and the systemic barriers impacting our colleagues and the clients we serve. And yet, we must progress and press on. Once again, we will reflect on lessons learned, refocus our strategies together and recharge for the road ahead.

AGENDA BY DAY

FEATURED SPEAKERS

ELLIE HOLLANDER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Ellie joined Meals on Wheels America as President and CEO in 2013. Her career spans both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, including as Chief Strategy Officer and EVP of Business Development at Good360, and EVP and Chief People Officer and Interim Associate Executive Director of Membership at AARP. Ellie graduated from Duke with double-majors and later from its Fuqua School of Business’ Advanced Management Program. She is a 2016 Silver Stevie® Award Female Executive of the Year winner.

PATTI LYONS, BOARD CHAIR, MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Patti Lyons is the President of Senior Citizens, Inc. in Savannah, GA. She currently serves as the Chair of the Meals on Wheels America national board of directors. She is also involved in several local, state and national initiatives concerned with caring for seniors including the Georgia Council on Aging, and Meals on Wheels Association of Georgia. Additionally, The Georgia General Assembly recently recognized her for Distinguished Service to the state.

JOAN GARRY, PRINCIPAL, JOAN GARRY CONSULTING

Joan Garry is an internationally recognized champion for the nonprofit sector and a highly sought after executive coach for CEOs at some of the nation’s largest organizations. Joan’s firm offers high-end strategic advisory services with a unique combination of coaching and management consulting. She is called upon by large organizations to tackle substantial change management, crisis management and leadership transitions requiring a hands-on strategist, a messaging expert, and a compassionate truth teller. Joan will offer a reminder that we all have what it takes to thrive during tough times, make our organizations stronger and rise up to our current challenges…all with a sense of humor!

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! SHOLA RICHARDS, FOUNDER & CEO, GO TOGETHER™ GLOBAL

Shola Richards is a dynamic keynote speaker, the best-selling author of Making Work Work, and Go Together, he's an in-demand workplace civility expert, and he is a prolific writer with a passionate worldwide following. His articles and wildly-popular Monday morning "Positivity Solution" email series have been read by readers in over 160 countries, and his work has been featured on the Today Show, CBS This Morning, Forbes, Black Enterprise, Complete Wellbeing India, Business Insider Australia, and in numerous other outlets all over the world who recognize him as an authority on workplace happiness and engagement. Returning to our Virtual Conference this year after an overwhelmingly positive response in 2020, Shola will check in after another trying year to provide us with the inspiration to go further, together.

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, THE 21ST SURGEON GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES

For years, the 21st Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Vivek Murthy has made a case for loneliness as a public health concern – something the Meals on Wheels network is all too familiar with as we seek to improve the lives of the most vulnerable among us. Join the Nation’s Doctor for a powerful closing message as we wrap up a day focused on expanding our capacity to make a meaningful difference and shift gears to focus on how we deliver so much more than just a meal.

ACL'S ACTING AND FORMER ADMINISTRATORS AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES FOR AGING

We’re honored to be bringing together the Administration for Community Living’s Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging along with her predecessors from the last three administrations for an engaging and timely reflection on the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. As we set our sights on the next 50 years, the current and former leaders will share their wisdom and guidance on how together we can meet the diverse and changing needs of older adults in new and impactful ways.

Alison Barkoff
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging (2021 – Present)

Lance A. Robertson
5th Assistant Secretary for Aging (2017 – 2021)

Kathy J. Greenlee
4th Assistant Secretary for Aging (2009 – 2016)

Josefina G. Carbonell
3rd Assistant Secretary for Aging (2001 – 2009)

AGENDA BY DAY

2021 REGISTRATION

Our Annual Conference is designed for leaders and staff of nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies and tribal organizations engaged directly in the provision of meals and/or nutrition services to seniors.

If your organization is not currently a Member of Meals on Wheels America, we encourage you to join now to take full advantage of this year’s event. Learn more about the benefits of annual Membership for your entire organization here.

MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA MEMBER REGISTRATION

All rostered individuals of Member organizations in good standing should have received an email invitation to register.

NOTE: The email invitation will be sent from “Meals on Wheels Virtual Conference” / (MOWAconference@meetings-incentives.com). If you have not received an invitation, click here to troubleshoot.

If you have any issues navigating our registration process, please do not hesitate to reach out to MOWAConference@meetings-incentives.com. All Membership-related questions can continue to go to membership@mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

MEMBER-ONLY RATES

Full Individual Registration - $175
Access to all live sessions across all four days and all recorded content through December 2021

Full Group Registration (2 or more attendees from the same organization) - $150 each
Access to all live sessions across all four days and all recorded content through December 2021

Single Day Individual Registration - $65
Access to live sessions on a single day and that day’s recorded content through December 2021

NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Thanks to support from 2021 Platinum Sponsor and Meals on Wheels America National Partner, The Home Depot Foundation, we are pleased to provide need-based scholarships to Member programs with senior nutrition program budgets of less than $1,000,000 that would not otherwise be able to participate in the 2021 Meals on Wheels Virtual Conference and Expo this August. A scholarship would allow up to three staff or board members from your organization to participate in the full event free of charge.

The application period closed Thursday, July 8. Recipients will be notified by the end of July.
LEARN MORE

FRIENDS OF MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

If you are interested in attending the 2021 Meals on Wheels Virtual Conference and Expo but do not belong to a Membership-eligible organization, please contact membership@mealsonwheelsamerica.org to learn more.

SPONSOR AND EXHIBITOR OPPORTUNITIES

For as little as $1,250, you can connect with the leaders of the Meals on Wheels network throughout the entire month of August.

As we embark on a Virtual Conference for the second year, we are aware that Zoom fatigue is real, so we sought feedback from past participants and are designing an event that will be even more valuable and engaging than the last!

Here's just some of what this year's event will provide:

Access to your target market and quality sales leads
Quality brand awareness and exposure
Opportunities to cultivate customer relationships
Greater ROI than other advertising methods
An insider’s look into what’s happening in the Meals on Wheels network

EXPLORE OUR 2021 SPONSOR AND EXHIBITOR PACKAGES

To learn more about any of our valuable 2021 Sponsor and Exhibitor opportunities, including our new post-Conference marketing packages, please contact Jennifer Pellegrini, Senior Corporate Relations Manager, at 571.339.1620 or jennifer.pellegrini@mealsonwheelsamerica.org.