Meals on Wheels celebrates 61 years of service to the community

Today, 27 August 2014 is National Meals on Wheels Day (MoW) in Australia. This year the charity is celebrating their 61st birthday, recognising the good work of 78,700 volunteers at over 740 branches of MoW around the country.

The theme for this year’s event is “More than just a meal” and will focus on the role MoW plays in enriching and nourishing communities across Australia.

Every day thousands of doors across Australia receive a knock, a friendly greeting and a nourishing meal that enables Mow’s mostly elderly clients to remain at home and engaged with their communities.

In the course of one year, Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver 14 million meals to almost 60,000 people in Australian cities, regional centres and rural areas. Every Meals on Wheels client across Australia will receive a commemorative placemat with their meal today.

Australian Meals on Wheels Association President, Ron Welsh OAM said; “The day marks the progress made from humble beginnings in South Melbourne in 1953, where a lady on a tricycle delivered a few meals to local residents.”

“It is an opportunity to highlight to the Australian people the significant contribution that is made to the community by almost 700 Meals on Wheels services and over 75,000 volunteers across Australia,” he said.

Delivering more than just a meal, Meals on Wheels volunteers provide a cheery greeting, daily contact and check that everyone of their 60,000 clients is safe and well each day.

People living in the community can self-refer to Meals on Wheels if they believe they may benefit from the service or they can be referred, for example by a health practitioner or family member.

Meals on Wheels is always looking for new volunteers to contribute just a few hours a fortnight.

For more information visit the website www.mealsonwheels.org.au