May 26, 2016

Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa will be joined by The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force to transform the homes of veterans across the city who are also Meals on Wheels recipients. Funding for this project was made possible in part by a grant from The Home Depot Foundation and its ongoing partnership with Meals on Wheels America. Projects include ramps, bathroom improvements, door repairs, and other jobs geared toward increasing safety and security for recipients.

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“Meals on Wheels is proud to partner with the Home Depot Foundation to repair homes of veterans all across our city,” said Calvin A. Moore, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa. “The benefits of this partnership fit nicely with our mission of enabling seniors to live with dignity and safely in their own homes. A special thanks goes to Home Depot Associates who sacrifice their time off to aid veterans.”

Since beginning the partnership in April, Meals on Wheels has identified at least 10  veterans in their service area whose homes are in need of repairs. So far, together with Team Depot they have completed two home improvement projects and plan to do eight more this summer.  Recipients have included veterans from the Navy, Army, and Army Air Corps who served in World War II and  Vietnam.

Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa serves 106 veterans in total through their home-delivered meals program.

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About Giving Back at The Home Depot

Since the first The Home Depot store opened in 1979, giving back has been a core value for the Company and a passion for its associates. Today, The Home Depot, in partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, focuses its philanthropic efforts on improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families and aiding communities affected by natural disasters. Through Team Depot, the Company’s associate-led volunteer force, thousands of associates dedicate their time and talents to these efforts in the communities where they live and work.

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $110 million to provide safe housing to veterans, and along with the help of Team Depot volunteers, has transformed more than 25,000 homes for veterans. To learn more and see Team Depot in action, visit www.homedepot.com/teamdepot.

May 1, 2016

The Joyce L. Reisher Living Trust gifted $240,000 to MEALS ON WHEELS OF METRO TULSA to honor the late Reisher’s wishes. Reisher lived to be 92 and was a Meals on Wheels recipient for more than six years during her eighties. The gift was designated to support operations and project 2020.

The Project 2020 initiative aims to progressively increase the number of seniors served, volunteers recruited, and dollars raised in a five-year period. In 2015, Meals on Wheels delivered 267,000 meals, but plans to be serving 1,000,000 by the year 2020. The organization currently operates a 1,600-strong volunteer base and delivers meals/services throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Bixby and Sand Springs.

“An important factor in the process of Senior outreach is acquiring the funds necessary to build and maintain programs. As of 2016, Meals on Wheels is almost halfway toward our goal of raising $3.5 million per year. Donations like the generous gift from Ms. Reisher not only keep the nonprofit running from day to day, but translate into tangible results, whether that be more people served or expanding geographically into places-like Sand Springs and Sapulpa.”- Calvin Moore, CEO and President, Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa.

Project 2020 is a response to the reality that 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 in the United States every day for the next 15 years. While most individuals will be healthy, active and vibrant, a growing number of people across the nation and in the Tulsa area will need Meals on Wheels. Last year, the organization worked toward answering this growing need by increasing its number of meals served by 49,000 and number of volunteers by 383; they plan to continue working toward these goals at an even faster rate in the next few years. 

Services like Meals on Wheels help keep seniors independent and in their homes longer, where they want to be.

March 31, 2016

Two City Council members recently joined Meals on Wheels staff to deliver a route in the Kendall Whittier area.

President & CEO Calvin Moore and Director of External Operations Dee Dee Dodd accompanied Jeannie Cue, Council Chair, and Anna America, Council Vice Chair, to about a dozen homes.

Councilor America--who is also a previous volunteer for the organization--said, “We had a great time. Meals on Wheels is one of my favorite Tulsa nonprofits.”

Meals on Wheels keeps a regular guest route open at the Kendall Whittier site to encourage volunteers to see what delivering meals is like before committing to an assignment. The route also works well for corporate groups interested in doing a day of service together. “For a lot of people, all it takes is one day on a route to want to keep volunteering with us; they enjoy meeting our recipients that much,” said Dodd. “That’s why we always say we’re delivering more than just meals. The connections made are meaningful on both ends.”

“I’m so grateful for Meals on Wheels,” said Richard Miller, a current recipient on the guest route. “They always bring the best people.”

For more information about volunteering with Meals on Wheels, visit our website at mealsonwheelstulsa.org or contact Dee Dee Dodd. “I invite anyone who wants to see what it is like delivering meals to join me on a route.”

March 29, 2016

The H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust recently gifted $30,000 to support operations for Meals on Wheels. This donation will not only help the nonprofit continue providing meals to its current recipients, but enable them to expand into Sand Springs and Sapulpa. 

“I couldn't be more excited about the opportunities that lie before us,” said Calvin A. Moore, President and CEO of the organization. “The H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Trust has been an important partner in our mission historically. This wonderful gift represents a continuation of that partnership and is a solid investment in the future of seniors living in the Tulsa Metro.” 

Before Chapman’s donation, the nonprofit had been forced to wait list potential recipients in Sand Springs. Now, volunteers from St. Andrews Lutheran Church have already started delivering to about fifteen recipients in the Sand Springs area out of a Meals on Wheels site in Southwest Tulsa; they will start serving from their location directly when the organization has added more individuals to the program. 

Meals on Wheels also plans to establish a permanent delivery site in Sapulpa later this year. 

Gifts like these support the nonprofit’s goals for their Project 2020 initiative, which aims to progressively increase the number of individuals reached, volunteers recruited, and dollars raised in a five-year period. In 2015, Meals on Wheels delivered 267,000 meals, but plans to be serving 1,000,000 by the year 2020. They currently operate with a 1,600-strong volunteer force throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, and Bixby in addition to maintaining a small staff. 

“We are so grateful to Chapman for this gift,” said Dee Dee Dodd, Director of External Operations at Meals on Wheels. “It will help us keep serving as many people as possible in the area and increase our outreach to neighbors in need.” 

March 21, 2016

The Helmerich Trust’s recent $100,000 gift completes the campaign to build a new kitchen at

the nonprofit’s central facility. The new project will increase meal production capacity from

300,000 to 600,000 meals annually.

“The Helmerich Trust supported us to build the existing kitchen nearly 20 years ago,” said

Calvin A. Moore, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels. “It is poetic that they chose to close

this campaign to build a new kitchen at Meals on Wheels with such an extraordinary gift. We are grateful for the leadership and the tremendous generosity of the Helmerich Family.”

The nonprofit’s Project 2020 initiative aims to progressively increase the number of individuals

reached, volunteers recruited, and dollars raised in a fiveyear period. In 2015, Meals on Wheels delivered 267,000 meals, but plans to be serving 1,000,000 meals by the year 2020.

They currently operate with a 1,600strong volunteer force throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Bixby, and Sand Springs in addition to maintaining a small staff.

“The kitchen expansion and remodel are crucial,” said Christina Winkle, Director of Food and

Nutrition at Meals on Wheels. “It will increase our production and allow us to serve more seniors in need. The expansion will enable Meals on Wheels to offer more variety and healthier meal options to our recipients. This is an exciting time at Meals on Wheels! I am so proud to be a part of it.”

The organization’s Better Foods, Better Health initiative seeks to improve the quality of life for

their recipients. Where possible and economically feasible, the organization will use minimally

processed, nutrientdense and organic foods in all phases of meal production. They believe this new commitment to the processes and the food will produce better health outcomes for Meals on Wheels Recipients.

March 8, 2016

ARLINGTON, Va., March 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Meals on Wheels America today launches the 14th Annual March for Meals – a month-long celebration of Meals on Wheels designed to rally communities nationwide around the vulnerable seniors who rely on its vital safety net to remain healthier and independent in their own homes.

"More than ever, community organizations, businesses, all levels of government and concerned individuals must join forces to meet the needs of the fastest growing segment of the population in America," said Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander. "It not only makes economic sense to support the Meals on Wheels model that for decades has enabled seniors to stay more nourished, independent and safe at home, but it improves the health and vibrancy of our communities and our nation at large."

Meals on Wheels America created the March for Meals as a way to commemorate the month in 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act and established a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. Since 2002, the March for Meals has grown into a full-scale awareness, fundraising and volunteer recruitment campaign involving and supporting the network of local Meals on Wheels programs.

This year's national effort kicks off with a series of events on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, March 1, designed to raise awareness for the vital public-private partnership that keeps America's seniors healthier at home and out of more costly healthcare settings. As the March for Meals commences in Washington, DC, hundreds of local Meals on Wheels programs across the country will be engaging their communities to build the support to enable them to deliver nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks to seniors all year long.

The 2016 March for Meals is sponsored nationally by Caesars Foundation and Subaru of America. For more information on how to volunteer, contribute or speak out for seniors across the country, visit www.marchformeals.com.

About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the oldest and largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network exists in virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America's seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-gum6a8F-0

February 10, 2016

DoSomething.org and Meals on Wheels America join forces for third annual Love Letters campaign

Tulsa, Oklahoma (February 10, 2016) – Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa’s seniors are set to receive handmade Valentine’s Day cards created by youth volunteers from across the country. DoSomething.org, the largest organization for young people and social change, has teamed up with Meals on Wheels America for the third annual Love Letters campaign.

Calvin Moore, President and CEO of MOW Tulsa, is happy to be a part of this program. “Personal Valentine notes reflect the spirit of love and care exhibited by the Tulsa Community to our clients year-round.”

The popular campaign, encouraging young people to create handmade Valentine’s Day cards to lift the spirits of older adults this holiday season, runs through February 15, 2016 and cards will be included in meal deliveries to Meals on Wheels clients across the country. Young people who sign up at DoSomething.org/loveletters and report back with a photo will be eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship.

"Love Letters is one of DoSomething.org's most popular campaigns because young people get to use their creativity to help brighten older adults' day during a peak time of isolation and depression," said Naomi Hirabayashi, Chief Marketing Officer at DoSomething.org.

Since 2014, nearly one million cards have ben distributed through Meals on Wheels America’s network, which serves nearly 2.5 million homebound seniors each year. The support of the volunteers and meals this network provides is critical to helping them maintain enough independence to stay in their own homes.

January 6, 2016

The National Commission on Hunger was charged with developing innovative reforms for food assistance programs in the United States. It is comprised of nine individuals appointed by Congressional leadership in 2014. After much research, deliberation and testimony from hundreds of stakeholders and individuals, including many of our own Members and staff, the Commission released their report to Congress and the Administration on January 4:  Freedom From Hunger: An Achievable Goal for the United States of America. The report includes a set of 20 recommendations, two of which are directly related to reducing hunger and food insecurity among seniors and individuals nationwide. 

You Made All The Difference

A huge thank you to everyone who submitted comments and testimony to the Commission about the unique nutritional and social needs of our seniors, and how the Meals on Wheels network exists to support them. Because of your actions, Meals on Wheels programs have been acknowledged for their invaluable role and effectiveness in reducing hunger and improving the health and quality of life of our nation's seniors.

Two recommendations pertaining to the clients you serve specifically request that Congress work with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to develop mechanisms to provide home-delivered meals as reimbursable costs through some Medicare and Medicaid programs. This is an important first step in ensuring that Meals on Wheels is fully recognized as a proven public-private partnership that continues to address the growing problems of senior hunger and isolation and is an integral component of our nation's healthcare system.

Review the Report 

You can read the full report here. Page 55 specifically highlights Meals on Wheels programs and their impact on health and healthcare costs.

Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander also released a press statement commending the report and its support for Meals on Wheels programs. 

December 7, 2015

More than meals: To celebrate its 45th anniversary, Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa launches a response to the senior boom.

For 45 years, Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa (MOWMT) has faithfully served the Tulsa community and surrounding areas. Its mission has always been to provide nutritious meals and meaningful contact to those in our community who are elderly, disabled and homebound. It has successfully accomplished that through the generosity of numerous volunteers and supporters over the years. However, with new leadership and a rapidly changing demographic, the scope of its service will be reinvented as it launches its bold initiative, Project 2020.

November 28, 2015

The Feed Our Future High School Adoption Program, announced Friday at Hale High School, is a long-term, high-profile effort to improve student health through better nutrition, said Calvin Moore, agency director.

“This is a supplemental nutrition program designed to provide food for students to eat when they’re away from school,” Moore said. “We all care about our communities, and we want to see young and old live healthier, fuller lives.”

The program will start with about 300 students at Hale, and the plan is to expand to about 1,000 high school students throughout TPS.

October 27, 2015

Cox Charities of Tulsa recently donated $5,000 to Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa to support their new Feed Our Future high school adoption program. The new program aims to help Tulsa Area High School students by providing meals for weekends and Holiday breaks.

“Meals on Wheels is grateful for the continued partnership with Cox Communications and Cox Charities. Cox recognizes the growing needs in the Tulsa Metro and is taking meaningful action to address those needs,” said Calvin Moore, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels.

Meals on Wheels provides food and friendship to elderly and disabled individuals throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool and Owasso. Currently, the organization delivers meals from 16 sites Monday through Friday.

Nearly 4,000 Cox employees live, work and play in the communities Cox serves. That presence translates into a strong dedication to grow and improve the quality of life in those cities and neighborhoods. Cox reinforces this commitment by honoring both their grantees and employee donors at an annual Champions Luncheon.

“We host the annual luncheon as an opportunity to thank our employee givers contributing at least $500 annually,” said Carly Senger, Public Affairs Specialist at Cox Charities. “It’s also a great opportunity to bring our nonprofit partners together to highlight their contributions to the community and provide an opportunity for them to meet with some of our most generous and engaged employees.”

Events like these are a great example of the strong sense of partnership between organizations and businesses in Green Country. Tiffani Bruton, Director of Public Affairs at Cox Communications, explained, “As a local company, Cox looks for opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors through both the products we provide our customers and the assistance we offer local charities. We believe this is vital to the success of the company and the enrichment of the Tulsa area. Our employees like supporting Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa because they see the tremendous impact in their neighborhoods.”

Originally published by Brown University, March 2, 2015

In a randomized, controlled trial commissioned by Meals on Wheels America, a Brown University public health researcher found that home-delivered meals provide health and psychological benefits to seniors beyond basic nutrition.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Kali Thomas, assistant professor (research) of health services, policy, and practice, has shown that meal deliveries can help seniors stay in their homes and save some states money, but in a new report she documents that the service also provides psychological and health benefits, particularly for seniors who live alone.

Meals on Wheels America asked Thomas to conduct a study, with funding from AARP.

“We structured this study as a three-arm randomized, controlled trial to determine what effect home-delivered meals may have for older adults, beyond merely providing essential nutrition,” Thomas said. “What we found is that there were statistically significant differences in health benefits among the three groups, with the highest gains recognized among participants living alone who had face-to-face contact via daily deliveries.”

In the study, hundreds of seniors on the waiting list to receive home-delivered meals in eight sites around the country, including in Rhode Island, received personally delivered fresh meals daily, or weekly bulk deliveries of frozen meals, or simply remained on the waiting list. Seniors in each group answered questions about their physical and mental health at the beginning of the study and again after 15 weeks.

The study identified several benefits. Seniors living alone who received meals showed statistically significant reductions in feelings of isolation, an effect that was greater if they received meals daily rather than weekly. They also felt significantly less lonely, were less worried about staying in their homes, and said they felt safer. The research also found that those receiving meals experienced fewer falls and hospitalizations.

Thomas said that based on her personal experience as a driver and as the family member of a meals recipient, she was not surprised to see benefits she observed anecdotally emerge as significant in a rigorous trial.

“My granny, who lived to be 98 years old while still independent in her home, was grateful for the meals and enjoyed the visits with her meals delivery person,” Thomas said. “It was because of her experience that I began volunteering and had the opportunity to witness firsthand the benefits that Meals on Wheels provides. Our research supports the hypothesis that the delivery, in addition to the meal itself, has numerous positive impacts on clients’ lives.”

Thomas said she plans to submit the data for peer-reviewed journal publication.

October 16, 2015

Founders of Doctors’ Hospital, Inc. recently donated $108,000 to Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa. This money will be used to purchase equipment for the new Meals on Wheels Kitchen at its 31st street distribution center. 

Calvin Moore, CEO and President of Meals on Wheels, says-“Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa is thrilled to partner with Founders of Doctors Hospital, Inc. to increase meal production at our central distribution facility. Building this new kitchen will grow our current capacity from 300,000 meals to about 550,000 meals annually.” 

Meals on Wheels provides food and friendship to elderly and disabled individuals throughout Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, and Owasso. Currently, the organization delivers meals from 16 sites Monday through Friday. In addition to home-delivered meals, Meals on Wheels provides monthly supplies of pet food for qualified recipients and will be starting a high school adoption program at Hale High School next month. Its Better Foods, Better Health initiative aims to utilize regionally grown, nutrient dense produce in most phases of meal production. 

Founders of Doctors’ Hospital mission is to support qualified charities in the Tulsa area communities that provide widely needed benefits to the individuals they serve. The Foundation has awarded more than $50 million in grants to more than four hundred local nonprofit organizations. 

Meals on Wheels delivered more than 230,000 meals in 2014 and hopes to expand that number because of the growing need throughout the Tulsa Metro. The organization recently launched Project 2020 which endeavors to deliver more than 1 million meals by the year 2020. 

October 14, 2015

Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa hosted their annual Keep ‘Em Rolling Fundraising Gala on October 8 at a new venue, the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tulsa.  The event was the most successful year to date, raising over $350,000.  The Founders of Doctors Foundation presented a check for $107,000 to go towards the building of a new kitchen.  The money raised from the event will be invested into initiatives like a new kitchen, vehicles for daily operation and overall growth of the organization. The evening included fine food and drink, a lively show by pianist Barron Ryan and an enthusiastic live auction to cap off the night. Calvin Moore, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa, praised the crowd for their generous support of the organization’s mission and extended a special thanks to the Founders of Doctors Hospital Foundation, Hampton Creative and the event’s chair, Dawney Davis.

October 1, 2015

Alexandria, VA, October 1, 2015 – Meals on Wheels America today announced that its longstanding partner Banfield Charitable Trust (BCT) will be handing off the administration of its popular Meals on Wheels Pet Assistance Grant program to Meals on Wheels America. As part of the transition, BCT will provide Meals on Wheels America with the appropriate resources to fund the program and its growth for years to come.

Since 2007, BCT’s Pet Assistance Grant program has distributed more than $1.8 million in funding and pet food donations to nearly 300 local Meals on Wheels programs across the nation that are working to keep pets and their homebound seniors together.

“There’s no doubt that pets play an important role in healthy aging,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “We also know that accessing food for a beloved pet can be just as difficult as accessing food for yourself when you’re homebound. The Pet Assistance Grant program will continue to enable local Meals on Wheels programs to start or grow pet food programs that will deliver nourishment to not only their senior clients, but to the pets that bring joy and purpose to their lives.”

After recognizing the growing need to help struggling pet families, BCT was established by Banfield Pet Hospital (Banfield) leadership in 2002. From its inception, Banfield has been a close partner and major supporter of BCT’s mission and has helped to facilitate contributions by hospital associates, clients and the general public. BCT has been able to provide funding to other nonprofit organizations, such as Meals on Wheels, in communities across the country to help with the cost of pet care and veterinary service for seniors with pets in need.

“BCT has recognized Meals on Wheels America's commitment to programs and education that support independent seniors and their pets,” said Jim Cleary, Chairman of the Board, BCT. “We have full faith in Meals on Wheels America and its staff's ability to expand the program, as well as its presence in, and contribution to, the pet care and nutrition market.”

The management of all active Pet Assistance Grants has officially been transferred to Meals on Wheels America and a new grant cycle will begin in spring of 2016. For more information, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/petassistance.

About Meals on Wheels America.

Meals on Wheels America is the oldest and largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network exists in virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org. 

September 24, 2015

Tulsa, OK—September 24, 2015— SemGroup® Corporation (NYSE: SEMG) announced it will contribute a $20,000 donation to Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa. This money will help the local nonprofit remodel their kitchen and increase service capacity.

“Our goal is to build a new, more efficient kitchen that will serve the needs of our clients by enabling Meals on Wheels to produce and deliver 525,000 meals through 2018,” says Meals on Wheels CEO Calvin Moore. “We sincerely appreciate the leadership and tremendous generosity of SemGroup.”

For 45 years, Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa has carried out its mission to deliver food and friendship to the homebound. Through a small staff and nearly 1,400 volunteers, they are able to provide elderly and disabled individuals with nutritious meals delivered to their doors, caring contacts from around the community, and other life-enriching services to help ease loneliness and depression. Meals on Wheels serves clients in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks and Glenpool, and plans to expand to Sand Springs and Sapulpa in the coming months.

Food assistance programs are becoming increasingly necessary with an aging population. Nationwide, ten thousand Baby Boomers will turn 65 every day for the next 15 years.  This demographic shift will place great demand on organizations that serve seniors. The local charity offers an efficient and cost-effective way to help seniors stay healthy and remain in their homes.

During 2014, Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa delivered more than 230,000 meals to seniors in need. The kitchen expansion will help the organization meet the goals of the recently launched Project 2020 initiative, which endeavors to deliver more than 1 million meals by the year 2020. “The goal is to help more seniors live healthy lives, at home, independently and with dignity for longer,” says Moore.

September 21, 2015

Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa will be hosting the Keep 'Em Rolling Fundraising Gala on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tulsa.  The event will include fine food and drink, live music, live auction and much more.

For tickets and information, go to www.keepemrolling.org. 

July 19, 2015