Meals On Wheels America

TO EMPOWER LOCAL PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF VULNERABLE SENIORS.

STRATEGY AND IMPACT - THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA STRATEGY AND IMPACT TEAM PROVIDES THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH AND DATA, INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AND TOOLS, AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO AID LOCAL PROGRAMS IN EXTENDING THEIR REACH AND IMPACT. THE TEAM LEVERAGES BEST PRACTICES AND EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN THE FOUNDATIONAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT ENABLE SENIORS TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY: NUTRITION, SOCIALIZATION, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AT BOTH THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS. EXAMPLES OF SUCH INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE WORK OF MEALS ON WHEELS HEALTH THAT BRINGS TOGETHER OUR NATIONWIDE NETWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PAYERS THAT IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND THE QUALITY OF CARE, WHILE LOWERING COSTS OF HEALTHCARE'S HIGH-RISK, SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATION. IN 2020, AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR HOME DELIVERED MEALS, MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA ESTABLISHED A FUND EARMARKED FOR "RESPONSE AND RECOVERY" SUPPORT OF THE ASSOCIATION'S NATIONAL AND LOCAL MEMBER PROGRAMS. THE ASSOCIATION WAS ABLE TO INCREASE ITS MEMBER GRANTMAKING ACTIVITIES TO AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL IN THAT YEAR, AND AGAIN (THOUGH TO A LESSER EXTENT) IN 2021. IN ADDITION, THE ASSOCIATION IMPLEMENTED IN 2020 AND MAINTAINED IN 2021 SEVERAL OTHER MEMBER SUPPORT PROGRAMS AIMED AT MEETING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES OF THE NEW PARADIGM WE FIND OURSELVES IN. THE TRUST MEALS ON WHEELS HAS BUILT OVER DECADES OF SUPPORTING SENIORS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES MEANS WE ARE INVITED INTO THE HOMES OF OUR CLIENTS DAILY, AND THEREFORE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY THREATENING CHANGES IN THEIR CONDITION OR HOME SAFETY HAZARDS THAT NEED ATTENTION. AS SUCH, MEALS ON WHEELS IS ALSO GROWING ITS ROLE IN THE HEALTHCARE CONTINUUM, PROVIDING PREVENTATIVE SUPPORT TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE OLDER AMERICANS THAT HELPS AVERT HEALTH CRISES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN AND TO SUPPORT TRANSITIONS OUT OF HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND REHAB CENTERS BACK INTO THEIR HOMES AS PAINLESSLY AS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE STRATEGY AND IMPACT TEAM ENGAGES IN RESEARCH TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT AND VALUE THAT MEALS ON WHEELS HAS IN ADDRESSING HUNGER, MALNUTRITION, ISOLATION AND LONELINESS AMONG MILLIONS OF SENIORS EACH YEAR. THIS WORK SUPPORTS OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAMS HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR SERVICES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

MEMBERSHIP AND ADVOCACY - THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA MEMBERSHIP AND ADVOCACY TEAM PROVIDES DIRECT MEMBER SUPPORT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT INCLUDE ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, PROGRAM AND CAPACITY-BUILDING SUPPORT AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION, THE TEAM PROVIDES GRANTS AND REVENUE DISTRIBUTION SERVICES, PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING, AND A DISCOUNT PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS SAVINGS ON THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED NUTRITION ORGANIZATIONS RELY ON TO RUN THEIR OPERATIONS. THE TEAM PRODUCES AND PROVIDES TRAINING PROGRAMS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM STAFF THROUGH A NATIONAL CONFERENCE, STATE ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, WEBINARS, INFORMATION SHARING THROUGH ONLINE PLATFORMS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE TOOLS AND RESOURCES. THE MEMBERSHIP AND ADVOCACY TEAM IS ALSO ENGAGED IN ONGOING ADVOCACY INITIATIVES AND ACTIVITIES AIMED AT DRIVING SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE FOR LOCAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE GROWING PROBLEMS OF SENIOR HUNGER AND ISOLATION. TO THAT END, WE WORK TO BUILD SUPPORT ON CAPITOL HILL AND WITHIN THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION AND POLICIES THAT STRENGTHEN HOME-DELIVERED AND GROUP SETTING (CONGREGATE) PROGRAMS, THE VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE THEM HAPPEN AND THE SENIORS THEY SERVE.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS - THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM RAISES VISIBILITY OF THE HIDDEN AND GROWING NATIONWIDE EPIDEMICS OF SENIOR HUNGER AND ISOLATION AND THE VALUE/IMPACT OF MEALS ON WHEELS. AS SUCH, THE TEAM WORKS TO STRENGTHEN AND LEVERAGE THE MEALS ON WHEELS BRAND ACROSS AMERICA THROUGH VARIOUS THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP EFFORTS, PAID AND DONATED MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING INITIATIVES. THIS WORK IS DESIGNED TO GARNER MORE FINANCIAL AND VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR THIS CRITICAL, YET UNDER-RESOURCED, WORK BY ENGAGING KEY INFLUENCERS ACROSS MULTIPLE SECTORS, THROUGH MULTIPLE CHANNELS, WITH A SIMPLE CALL TO ACTION TO VOLUNTEER, ADVOCATE AND/OR DONATE SO THAT NO SENIOR IS FORGOTTEN. IN ADDITION, THIS TEAM SUPPORTS THE COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS OF OUR HEALTHCARE INITIATIVES, MEMBERSHIP, AND ADVOCACY TEAMS TO ENSURE THAT THE NATIONAL NETWORK IS INFORMED, ENGAGED, AND BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE AND EFFECTIVE FUTURE ON BEHALF OF AMERICA'S OLDER ADULTS.