Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Milestones, Memories and Impact

A Milestone Year: Celebrating 50 Years of Meals on Wheels

As we look back on 2024, we are filled with immense gratitude for the unforgettable moments and milestones we’ve shared with you. Your continued support has been the driving force behind everything we’ve accomplished this year. Together, we’ve made a profound difference in the lives of seniors across the country. Here’s a look at some of the most remarkable highlights from the year across key areas of Meals on Wheels America.

In 1974, the first national meeting of senior nutrition programs took place in D.C., leading to the formation of Meals on Wheels America. Fifty years later, we celebrated this milestone at the 2024 Meals on Wheels Annual Conference in Baltimore, where over 700 local leaders, industry experts and national partners gathered. This momentous occasion was marked by the launch of our End the Wait™ plan, immersive learning sessions, an awards ceremony, a Meals on Wheels Expo and a continued commitment to addressing senior hunger and isolation.

Launching the End the Wait™ Plan to Reach More Seniors

The launch of our End the Wait™ plan marked a pivotal moment this year. This bold, new strategic plan directly addresses the growing demand for Meals on Wheels, with the ultimate goal of reaching all seniors who need nutritious meals and moments of connection.

To help fill the escalating unmet need, we need to change how our country works together to champion senior health and wellbeing. Over the next several years, Meals on Wheels America will remain focused on three key areas: scaling programming to build capacity, leveraging our influence to drive change and building partnerships to expand and scale impact.

We launched new research that further deepens our understanding of the challenges that seniors face, guiding our efforts to reduce isolation. Our findings from a pilot study on social connection programs showed that regular calls and visits significantly improved emotional well-being and reduced isolation for over half of participants.

Raising Our Voice for Older Adults Nationwide

When hurricanes devastated communities across parts of the country, we quickly mobilized, launching an Emergency Response Fund to provide immediate relief and support long term recovery efforts. Thanks to your generosity, we raised $725K to support Meals on Wheels programs impacted by the storms, ensuring that our seniors were not forgotten during their time of need.

We were honored to have our voice heard on the national stage as our President and CEO, Ellie Hollander, testified before the Senate HELP Committee on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA), and hosted a powerful congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to rally critical support. Our #SaveLunch campaign mobilized grassroots support across the country for Meals on Wheels, resulting in 95,676 emails sent to Congress, 15,551 petitions delivered and 11.2 million impressions across press and social media–all championing the needs of seniors.

Our #RespectYourElders campaign shined brightly this year, featuring 23 passionate celebrities, including Genie Bouchard and Jeff Bridges. These stars lent their voices to advocate for tenderness (or benevolence) toward older adults, emphasizing the importance of respect, kindness and connection to help combat the growing isolation that many seniors face.

Meals on Wheels is more than a name — it’s a movement. This year we were recognized by Fast Company as a ‘Brand That Matters.’ We were also incredibly proud to receive the Human Animal Bond Innovation Award for Public Service. This recognition celebrates the unique and transformative role we play in addressing both the nutritional and emotional needs of older adults through our pet meal program.

This year was extra special as we celebrated a heartwarming achievement: the delivery of our 13 millionth pet meal. This milestone further underscores our commitment to reducing isolation and loneliness by ensuring that seniors have the companionship and support they deserve.

We are stronger when we work together. This year, our partnerships flourished as Subaru of America continued its support of Meals on Wheels through  its Share the Love Event for the 17th year, DoorDash led exciting initiatives to help our network expand meal delivery and Barilla rolled out a co-branded End the Wait food truck in Chicago to raise needed funds and awareness. These collaborations help us reach more seniors and amplify our impact in communities across the country.

As we reflect on this incredible year, we are reminded that none of this would have been possible without you. Every step forward has been thanks to your unwavering support and dedication to our mission. As we head into 2025, we are filled with optimism about what we can achieve together to help End the Wait to ensure that every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it. There is still much work to be done, and we are excited to continue making a lasting impact for older adults nationwide.

Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey. Here’s to another year of hope, progress and change.