Brief History

WHAT IS MEALS ON WHEELS?

Since 1975 Meals on Wheels Plus, a local non-profit organization, has been providing meals to Abilene's frail adults. A hot noon meal is delivered to seniors, and to younger adults with disabilities, who are unable to prepare balanced meals for themselves on a daily basis. Special diets are also available.

HOW DID THE PROGRAM GET STARTED IN ABILENE?

April 1971, the Community Action Program developed a one year pilot project to provide a home delivered meal for 25 to 30 low income homebound elderly persons. Federal funds were obtained and the meals were delivered by Community Action employees.

April 1972, Church Women United took over the program and began serving the eight most needy persons who had been receiving meals under the pilot project. The meals were picked up from three separate locations and delivered by volunteers. After three years, Church Women United realized that the resources of the entire community were needed to meet the growing need for home delivered meals.

April 1975, Meals on Wheels Plus, Incorporated was formed with its own board of directors. The 85 people who had been receiving meals under Church Women United were served by the new community based program.
Meals on Wheels Plus operated out of the Executive Director’s home with meals being obtained from three different places: Barton’s Cafeteria in River Oaks Shopping Center, the Rose Park Senior Citizens Center and a limited number of special diets purchased from Hendricks Hospital.

1977, MOW opened its own kitchen in the basement of University Baptist Church. The program used rent free kitchen
and office space at the church from 1977 to 1987. The program grew from 85 to 358 clients over the first 12 years.

1987, When the program outgrew the church kitchen, University Church of Christ made the property at the corner of North 10th and Mesquite available for construction of a kitchen and office complex. When the 949 Mesquite, 3,750 square foot kitchen and office facility, opened on March 16, 1987, there were 358 meals prepared per day and the building was completely paid for.

2002, The program had grown to serving more than 725 meals. The kitchen, volunteer area, and office space had all been stretched far beyond their intended capacity. The kitchen had been designed to provide up to 600 meals per day. With a growing number of people needing the service, the need for a larger building was urgent.

2004, The property across the alley was acquired by Meals on Wheels. A 9,573 square foot building, designed to provide up to 2,000 meals per day, was built.
Meals on Wheels moved into the debt-free modern kitchen and office facility at 717 North 10th Street on June 15, 2004.