The Red Cross Meals on Wheels program began in 1963, after Brantford, Ontario resident Elsie Matthews approached her local Red Cross with the idea. Elsie had witnessed a program while travelling in England, where nutritious meals were delivered to seniors in their homes, and she believed a similar program would be a great value to her community. In its first year, the program had 12 clients per week who had meals delivered to them. 

When the program began, meals were prepared in the Brantford Red Cross’ branch kitchen and delivered using its station wagon. Today, meals are prepared by a professional chef and are delivered to clients throughout Ontario. 

Meals on Wheels benefits people who do not have access to regular nutritious meals, by delivering hot and frozen meals to their home. The majority of clients for the program are over 60 years old, but also include people with chronic illness, individuals with physical or mental challenges, as well as convalescing adults. 

“For many of our Meals on Wheels recipients, it is not just the nutritious meals they receive but also the interaction with the volunteers who deliver the meals.” 

“For many of our Meals on Wheels recipients, it is not just the nutritious meals they receive but also the interaction with the volunteers who deliver the meals. For some, it may be the only contact they have in a given day and it can mean so much to them to say hello and exchange a few words,” says Judi Mikolich, community services coordinator.  

In Brantford alone, 10,569 meals were delivered to 190 clients in 2015-16 and across Canada the number was 296,657 meals to 6,419 clients. 

By providing this service, Meals on Wheels can be a vital resource for people who are looking to maintain their independence, and demand is expected to increase in response to an aging population.