Gippsland Lakes Complete Health’s Meals on Wheels (MoW) Program will join with almost 700 other MoW services across Australia on Wednesday 27 August. They will celebrate yet another milestone as their enormous contribution to their communities is marked on the 61st National Meals on Wheels Day.

This will be an occasion where MoW can recognise the work of the organisation’s more than 75,000 volunteers. In the course of a year, they deliver some 14 million meals to almost 60,000 people each day, in cities, regional and rural areas.

Australian Meals on Wheels Association President, Mr Ron Welsh OAM said:

“The day marks the progress made from humble beginnings in South Melbourne in 1953, where a lady on a tricycle delivered a few meals to local residents. It is an opportunity to highlight to the Australian people the significant contribution that is made to the community by almost 700 Meals on Wheels services and over 75,000 volunteers across Australia”.

Mr Welsh said that the theme for this year’s event has a focus on the role MoW plays in enriching and nourishing communities across the nation. Every day, thousands of doors across Australia receive a knock, a friendly greeting and a nourishing meal that enables residents to remain at home and engaged with their communities. To celebrate, almost every Meals on Wheels client across Australia will receive a placemat with their meal delivery.

“We want to share our celebrations with all of the people we serve, so services across the nation will deliver the mat and each will choose their own special way to mark the occasion”, Mr Welsh said.

“The Meals on Wheels service and volunteers across the Australia, not only provide a nourishing meal to almost 60,000 clients each day, but also provide an important community connection through calling at homes each day to provide a cheery welcome, daily contact and check that each valued client is “safe and well”, hence our national theme…‘More than just a meal’” Mr Welsh said.

While the tradition and values of Meals on Wheels remain true to its origins, a focus on engaging people of all ages and from all walks of life is unfolding. With it, it is bringing renewed energy, ideas and vision to help the organisation continue to provide a vital service. The multicultural nature of society is echoed in the food, faces and friendships that typify MoW across the nation.

The economic value of the Meals on Wheels service is in excess of $350 million per year. While services receive some government funding, they could not operate without volunteers to keep costs down and make meals affordable for clients. People can self-refer to MoW if they believe they may benefit from the service or they can be referred, for example by a health practitioner or family member.

Meals on Wheels is always looking for new volunteers to contribute just a few hours a fortnight.

Gippsland Lakes Complete Health employs two Volunteer Coordinators, has over 200 volunteers, and provides a service for approximately 150 people on any given week. If you wish to volunteer or know someone who might need our service, please phone Gippsland Lakes Complete Health to register your interest.