THE HISTORY OF MEALS ON WHEELS

Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana grew out of a volunteer initiative to study the needs of the elderly with support from the Voluntary Action Committee of Lake Area United Way in 1976.  In July of 1977, Meals on Wheels became a service of the Visiting Nurse Association and began serving the community.  In January of 1987, Meals on Wheels became a separate Lake Area United Way Agency.  Continued growth fostered the ability for Meals on Wheels to purchase and move into our own Central Kitchen and offices in Crown Point in 1993, no longer needing to coordinate food purchases from local hospitals and nursing homes.  Outgrowing the Crown Point facility in 2002, plans were underway for a larger facility which resulted in the construction of a new 12,000 square foot facility in 2006, built on land donated by Dean White.

Milestones

1977 – Meals on Wheels began services in Crown Point, Cedar Lake and Lowell as a service of the Visiting Nurse Association of Northwest Indiana.  St. Anthony’s Hospital provided the food and 2,387 meals were served.

1978 – Expansion of Meals into St. John Township.  East Chicago Meals on Wheels started as a service of VNA with a separate coordinator.  St. Catherine Hospital and Our Lake of Mercy Hospital were the food sources.  11,377 meals delivered.

1979 – Expansion of Meals into Griffith and Highland.  Lowell Health Care became a new food source.  25,449 meals delivered.

1980 – Expansion of Meals into Munster.  The Community Hospital was a new food source.  33,863 meals delivered.

1984 – Expansion of Meals into Lake Station.  Miller’s Merry Manor provided the food.  50,236 meals delivered.

1987 – Assumed coordination of Hobart Meals on Wheels.  Corporate change from service of VNA to a new not-for-profit United Way Agency—Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana.  Hobart Mercy Hospital was a new food source.  61,547 meals delivered.

1988 – Assumed coordination of Whiting/North Hammond/Robertsdale Meals on Wheels.  St. Catherine Hospital was the food source for expansion.  71,198 meals delivered.

1990 – Assumed coordination of Ross Township Meals on Wheels.  The Methodist Hospital and Meridian Nursing Home were the new food sources.  91,294 meals delivered.

1991 – Purchased building at 211 S. East Street in Crown Point.  Moved administrative offices to new site.  89,094 meals delivered.

1992 – Remodeled building for kitchen and office space.  92,169 meals delivered.

1993 – In December, the kitchen remodeling was complete.  93,170 meals delivered.

1994 – Provided meals to Boys and Girls Club of East Chicago and Hammond, and YMCA of Hammond adult and child day care.  94,126 meals delivered.

1995 – Added Woodmar Child Development and Grand Tots in Cedar Lake.  136,414 meals delivered.

1996 – Received grant from Knight Ridder for a new dish room.  166,215 meals delivered.

1997 – Remodeled building to include dish room and close off warehouse space.  Meals on Wheels Endowment Fund was established with The Legacy Foundation.  179,317 meals delivered.

1998 – Remodeled upstairs for office space for Food Service Director, Client Coordinator, Volunteer Director, Assistant Director and Executive Director.  195,953 meals delivered.

1999 – Received grant from Lilly Endowment for $6,500.00.  Architect prepared drawings for 20’ X 60’ garage.  Received acceptance from Historic Board of Crown Point and raised funds to build garage in 2000.  Began providing meals for Porter County Meals on Wheels program. 191,436 meals delivered.

2000 – Completed garage and began using it in October.  Purchased blast chiller, remodeled blast chiller room and made a new dry storage room.  Increased Endowment Fund from $21,649.64 to $159,587.71.  Total meals delivered—190,492.

2001 – Delivered 202,614 meals to 1,305 clients.

2002 – Received contract under Older Americans Act for the cities of Gary, Hammond and East Chicago, starting service to Hammond and Gary in August of that year.  Held 1^st  annual Dine with the Chefs at Avalon Manor for 300 guests on April 17^th.  Increased van fleet with grant funded by the Legacy Foundation—Maria Reiner fund and Harrah’s Casino.  Delivered 208,855 meals to 1,702 clients.

2003 – Held 2^nd Dine with the Chefs at Avalon Manor.  Added two more Hot Shots (one purchased with NIPSCO grant) to our fleet.  262,285 meals delivered.

2004 – The Board of Directors began the year addressing the lack of space at the Crown Point kitchen in order to increase capacity to meet the needs of the community.  The year ended with a strategic plan in place to build a new Central Kitchen and Administrative Offices in Merrillville on three acres of land donated by Dean White.  Margot Clark retired from her position as Executive Director.  Sandra Noe assumed this position after serving the agency as Assistant Director for 18 years.  277,344 meals delivered.

2005 – The Board of Directors hired the architectural firm of Carras-Szany-Kuhn & Associates, P.C. to design the new Central Kitchen and Administrative Offices in Merrillville.  Contracts were awarded to five prime bidders with Bieker Construction as the General Contractor.  A groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 29^th and construction itself began on December 8^th.

A record number of meals were delivered out of the Crown Point kitchen.  The East Chicago Foundation donated funds for a new Hot Shot.  The community rallied together to support an effort to win a new vehicle at The Times Millionaire Auction.  Winning a Suzuki Reno allowed expansion of another route in Gary.  304,344 meals delivered.

2006 – “Feeding Your Spirit” Capital Campaign continues to raise funds for the new 12,000 square foot facility located at 8446 Virginia Street in Merrillville.  To date, over $1.5 million of the $2.4 million goal has been raised.  The last hot meal served at the Crown Point kitchen was on July 21, 2006.  Without disrupting meal service, clients were provided with two frozen meal deliveries before receiving their first hot meal from the new kitchen in Merrillville on July 26, 2006.