Program areas at Citymeals-On-Wheels
Weekend home delivered meals program served 1,443,816 meals. Citymeals provides funding to 31 meal centers throughout new york city that prepare, package, and deliver nutritious meals for every saturday and sunday to homebound elderly who do not have the means to shop and prepare adequate food. Government funding is only available during non-holiday weekdays, 250 days a year. This program addresses the need for meals on the weekends.
The emergency food packages program served 161,928 meals, including covid-19 meals. In time for the cold weather, citymeals distributes to each elderly meal recipient (on average 16,565) two efp boxes (containing 4 meals each) of non-perishable food to ensure the elderly are prepared and stocked for winter or other emergencies when the client's regular deliveries might be delayed. Citymeals delivered 36,435 covid-19 3-meals emergency packages to current meal recipients and delivered 59,233 3-7 meals of extra emergency bags.
The holiday food package program served 278,041 meals. Citymeals provides food for homebound elderly new yorkers throughout the year for religious or national holidays when the local meals centers are closed. This program provides 1-4 shelf-stable meals delivering 134,105 boxes.
Friendly visiting program, carefully screened and trained volunteers bring welcome personal visits and attention to homebound elderly. Volunteers commit to a weekly one-hour visit and form warm friendships with meal recipients.
Holiday contracted meals program served 35,938 meals. On special holidays, determined by meal centers, hot, nutritious, and festive holiday meals are prepared and delivered to homebound elderly throughout the city of new york. Holidays can include independence day, thanksgiving, hanukkah, christmas, new year's day, lunar new year, and mother's day.
Mobile food pantry served 60,291 meals. The majority of citymeals' recipients subsist on low incomes. About 14% report trying to stretch the one daily meal they receive to last until the next delivery. This program is designed for meals recipients living in neighborhoods with limited access to affordable food and high levels of poverty. Citymeals provides supplemental food deliveries to homebound elderly who have the greatest need for extra food to maintain their strength.
Fresh produce program served 17,318 meals. Citymeals-On-Wheels began its fresh fruit and produce pilot program with homebound clients, mostly poor minorities residing in public housing in east harlem. These meal recipients receive fresh fruits and produce along with their regular daily delivered meals. This program is intended for clients who live in neighborhoods that lack good access to fresh produce and healthy fresh fruits. The program now serves clients in east harlem and queens.