Agency - Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland is a non-profit, volunteer-based agency that delivers meals to homebound persons of any age or economic status who are unable to shop for themselves because of illness, injury, recuperation from surgery, disability or a degenerative condition. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life through the provision of nutritious meals, personal contact, and related services.

Description:
Our vision is to be the best provider of meal delivery services to our clients that we can be, identifying and serving all prospective clients in need of our services, regardless of their ability to contribute toward the cost of the service. We also seek to foster independent living and individual dignity for our clients by providing personal contact and support services with our well-trained, dedicated and committed corps of volunteers and professional staff.

Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland serves two meals a day (a hot meal and a cold meal), each week day including holidays. The meals are delivered between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM. The hot meal is to be eaten immediately and the cold meal is refrigerated for the evening. There are 11 distribution sites throughout Baltimore City and Baltimore County as well as Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties.

History:
As a result of the blitz bombing of London during World War II, thousands were left homeless and without resources for buying and preparing food. Concerned women conceived the idea of preparing meals in community kitchens and delivering them. Thus began the Women's Royal Volunteer Service and Meals on Wheels. The idea spread to this country through immigration and the first project was established in 1954 at the Lighthouse in Philadelphia.

In the 1950s a survey was conducted in Baltimore which indicated there was a need for Meals on Wheels and, in the fall of 1960, under Mrs. Ernestine McCollum's professional guidance, with Mrs. Beatrice Strouse as chairperson, and with funding from the Baltimore Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, volunteers first packed and delivered meals.

Today Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland is one of the largest and longest continually operated home delivered meals in the United States. Volunteer contributions of over 115,000 hours and 725,000 miles a year make it possible for us to serve all who need our service.

Contact person: VOLUNTEER SERVICES, (phone), (email)

Address:

515 S Haven Street Baltimore, MD 21224 (See a map)