The mission of Meals on Wheels Chicago is to ensure that Chicago seniors and individuals with disabilities benefit from nutritious meal programs that improve their quality of life and maximize independence.  There is a strong link between having a disability and food insecurity. Many individuals with a disability have kitchens that are not accessible or due to mobility issues, cannot prepare their own meals. MOWC has created the Home Delivered Meals of Individuals with Disabilities (HDMID) to address this issue.

The demand for this program continues to grow and we are therefore excited to acknowledge the recent expansion of this program thanks to the generous support of Conagra Brands Foundation.  Launched in 2013 with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities – the program has doubled since inception.  MOWC hopes to continue to grow this program, and with the continued support of Chicago’s business community, we will continue to expand both our senior and individual with disabilities meal programs.

Federal funding traditionally has provided a significant foundation for the Meals on Wheels network. New budgets proposed and recent reductions in funding from both federal and state sources on which Meals on Wheels programs rely exacerbate the widespread suffering felt by millions of vulnerable seniors and put greater pressure on an already strained support infrastructure.

This year marks the 30^th year of our very first home delivered meal on Thanksgiving 1988.  That day we delivered meals to 1,218 homebound seniors.  Meals on Wheels Chicago’s partnership with the City of Chicago means that together we now provide 2.4 million meals to Chicago’s homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities each year.

Thank you again to Conagra, and all of our partners, that help make a significant difference in the lives of these seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Celebrating 30 years of Meals on Wheels Chicago