Meals on Wheels Ministry, Inc.

Our goals are as follows:
- To supply homebound older Americans and disabled citizens nutritious meals.
- To abate the loneliness and isolation of elderly and disabled persons by providing daily contact with members of their communities.
- To promote the health, safety, and welfare of all elderly and disabled persons in East Texas.

Through a combination of State, Federal, and private funding, we prepare a fresh, hot meal that meets the Recommended Daily Allowances for the elderly population we serve. We ensure the delivery of these meals directly to the doors of our clients. This basic service is often the only barrier standing between our clients and life in a nursing home. Not only do we serve their nutritional needs, we also provide the comfort of a daily visit to men and women who often receive no other visitors each day. This enables us to monitor their health and wellness and to even intervene in the event of an emergency.

As the only organization in our service area that delivers a fully prepared, fresh, hot meal directly to clients' homes, Meals on Wheels Ministry is uniquely qualified to help keep seniors and disabled people living in their own homes. Our kitchen is designed to accommodate a need that we expect to increase, as the aging population has reached the point of exponential growth. We pursue a diverse fundraising plan each year in order to raise the funding necessary to meet the entire need expressed in the communities we serve, and rely heavily on volunteers to help keep operating costs low. With over 40 years of experience in East Texas, Meals on Wheels Ministry is uniquely qualified to address the issue of senior hunger, even as the need grows and changes.

One of the greatest signals of success here at Meals on Wheels Ministry is the absence of a client waiting list. We are able to immediately begin serving all qualified homebound seniors and disabled individuals who request our service. As time goes by, we would like to not only grow our capacity to serve, but also improve all aspects of service to our clients, ranging from the delivery of additional meals (like daily breakfasts and weekend meals), improved quality of foods, meal choice, and other services that could improve the quality of life for those we serve. One such program, called "Meals Fur Pets," provides dog and cat food to our clients. We believe that if a client has trouble providing food for themselves, they most certainly will encounter struggles in providing for their household pets. We also know that a pet can greatly improve the quality of life for a homebound individual, not only making an isolated person happier, but also increasing their physical and mental health and longevity. We hope to grow this program, as well as introduce others like home repair services in order to further improve the lives of those we serve.