History of Meals on Wheels
Taking their cue from a program developed in London, England at the end of World War II and later introduced in the United States in Philadelphia, a group of Baltimore women led by Ernestine McCollum and Bea Strouse started the first Meals on Wheels program in the Baltimore area. The year was 1960 and the kitchen site where meals were prepared was the current Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital. Thus began the organization we know today as Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland.
At its inception, Meals on Wheels served 10 homebound clients with a handful of volunteers. In FY 2008, 758,516 home-delivered meals were prepared and delivered to 2,995 clients through the coordinated efforts of Meals on Wheels staff and some 2,000 volunteers.
Throughout the '60s and '70s, Meals on Wheels expanded its service area to include Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. The latest service expansion occurred in the late '90s when the program initiated service in limited areas of Frederick and Montgomery counties.
Our Charitable Mission
To enhance quality of life through the provision of nutritious meals, personal contact and related services.
