Meals on Wheels

Eradicate Senior Hunger by 2020

Senior Services of Alexandria is joining with Meals on Wheels of America to eradicate senior hunger by 2020. To find out more about the National campaign, visit the Meals on Wheels Association of America website.

Senior Services of Alexandria's Meals on Wheels Program Manager Nancy McCormick signs the table cloth expressing her desire to end senior hunger by 2020.

About Meals on Wheels in Alexandria

Meals on Wheels is a life-sustaining program that prevents malnutrition and starvation amongst home-bound seniors by delivering two prepared meals each morning. The concept was developed in 1976 by the organizers of Meals on Wheels Association of American to prevent seniors who are unable to leave home, or who have difficulty preparing meals, from going hungry. In 2006, Senior Services of Alexandria took over operations of Alexandria's Meals on Wheels program.

In Alexandria, Meals on Wheels deliveries to a daily average of 85 seniors starting at 10:00 a.m. and deliveries take place Monday through Friday, every other Saturday, and on Federal holidays. Alexandria's Meals on Wheels program serves both fee-subsidized and self-pay clients. Fee-subsidized clients must be certified home-bound by a caseworker from the City of Alexandria. Self-pay clients have fewer participation restrictions and pay an out-of-pocket weekly fee covering the cost of food. The food for Alexandria's Meals on Wheels program is prepared at the Hermitage, an Alexandria-based senior living community. Meals delivered on Federal holidays are paid for by a special grant and produced by a private catering company. Pairs of volunteers are scheduled from a pool of 200 individual City residents and members of civic, educational, and religious groups deliver meals to 7-10 seniors per route. Senior Services of Alexandria manages client relationships (both City subsidized and self-pay clients); raises additional funds to pay for seniors and weekend delivery service not covered by the narrow City of Alexandria service parameters; places meal orders; plans the meal delivery schedule; organizes the creation and delivery of special holiday meals; as well as recruits, trains, and schedules volunteers. All participants are asked to give program feedback via annual service surveys.

Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers!

Want to give back to your community? Senior Services of Alexandria is seeking volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program.

What does it entail?

Being a Meals on Wheels volunteer is easy. All we ask is that each volunteer commit to two (very satisfying) hours a month - that is just one morning of deliveries! And don't worry, we'll train you.

Or do you have a club or class that wants to volunteer together? Call us. We can work with groups as well.

So, will you become a volunteer?
Call Nancy McCormick, Meals on Wheels Manager at (703) 836-4414, ext 12.