RECAPPING ALL OF THE MAGIC FROM ORLANDO

Whether or not you joined us in Orlando, we hope the following Conference materials will be valuable as you calibrate your goals and inspire your teams throughout the coming year. Together, these materials recap big moments, key learnings and the most important information available.

PLUS: It’s not too early to mark your calendar for next year’s Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, August 31 - September 2, 2016!

Here are what some attendees at the 2015 Conference had to say about their experience: 

"It was awesome, I left the Conference ready to go back to my agency and plan new and exciting things."

"This was a phenomenally great Conference this year and each keynote speaker was topical, exciting and inspiring!"

"It was a great opportunity to re-energize and connect to the mission."

"I learned so much about the organization and got to meet so many incredible people!"​

Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander kicked off this year’s gathering with her version of a Meals on Wheels "State of the Union" address. While highlighting many of the impressive strides we made as a network over the last year, Ellie used the majority of her time to lay out plans for our collaborative efforts to spark greater vigor and vitality into the Meals on Wheels movement.

RECAPPING: FIVE WAYS WE WILL SPARK THE MOVEMENT TOGETHER 

1. We will fight to shore up the core federal funding that supports our programs.
2. We will carve out a permanent place for ourselves in a rapidly evolving healthcare system.
3. We will secure more funding for Meals on Wheels programs across the country by continuing to quantify our economic value through evidence-based research.
4. We will expand our meal offerings to meet future client demand and expectations.
5. We will recapture the hearts and minds of the American people, inspiring them to rise to the call of their vulnerable senior neighbors and offer unprecedented support to Meals on Wheels.

As the CEO and "Chief Old Person" of the largest organization for young people and social change in America, DoSomething.org, and the Founder of both Dress for Success and Crisis Text Line, Nancy Lublin knows a thing or two about sparking a movement. Watch Nancy’s candid, and sometimes comical, keynote on her career journey, experience harnessing the extraordinary energy of teens and outlook for Meals on Wheels.

As Senior Vice President for Campaigns at the Ad Council, Heidi Arthur recently began to focus much of her energy and expertise on the newly-announced Meals on Wheels America Ad Council campaign, honing in on the challenges our Members face each and every day. Watch as she and Tom Gibson, the Planning Director of our acclaimed marketing communications agency Anomaly, articulate how we’re working together to spark support through a powerful, nationwide Public Service campaign.

LIVE COOKING DEMO RECIPE AVAILABLE

This year’s Annual Conference included a first-ever live cooking demo with Chef Richard West of the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. Chef Richard artfully prepared short ribs with fried rice (that we all got to enjoy for the closing lunch) and shared how Meals on Wheels programs can easily modify the recipe with Asian and Latin applications to meet the diverse tastes and preferences of your client base. Download the recipe!

CONNECT WITH EXHIBITORS

The 2015 Expo featured companies offering a wide range of products and services designed to support your program’s success. Check out the Exhibitor Directory to learn more about all of the exhibitors and sponsors you met at the Expo and how to get in contact with them!

SPARK INSPIRATION ALL OVER AGAIN

Check out our Facebook photo album to relive all of the inspiring moments from this year’s Conference! We also want to congratulate our big #ThrowbackThursday (#TBT) contest winner. Elaine Clark from Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services in Walnut Creek, CA, shared the moment that sparked her Meals on Wheels passion.

“Seeing my then 80-year-old friend sitting at home alone, with the curtains drawn, eating nothing but oatmeal and saying, ‘don’t worry about me.’ How could I not become involved?”

Elaine won a free full Conference registration for next year’s Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, August 31 - September 2, 2016. Congratulations, Elaine!

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK

We want to thank those of you who attended for taking the time to complete our Conference Evaluation Survey. Rollanda Johnson of Decatur Catholic Charities Meals On Wheels in Decatur, IL, was randomly selected to receive a free full Conference registration from next year’s Annual Conference for completing the survey. Congratulations, Rollanda!

We hope to see you all in Nashville!