Meals on Wheels needs volunteers in Will, Grundy, Kendall, suburban Cook

A doorbell rings and a smiling face appears, delivering a freshly prepared lunch and a chance to check on each other’s well-being. The volunteer-driven Meals on Wheels program has brightened lives nationwide for more than half a century.

Now, the newly rechristened Meals on Wheels for Northern Illinois has launched a drive for added volunteers and funding to increase its reach in Will, Grundy, Kendall and suburban Cook counties.

And for adults older than 60 who aren’t constrained by mobility challenges or lack of transportation, the organization’s two dozen community cafe sites provide a welcoming congregate dining space to gather and connect, said Andrea Proulx Buinicki, who has served as CEO of The Meals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois since August.

“They need a nutritious meal and they need a social connection,” Proulx Buinicki said. “Our whole purpose is to help seniors thrive.”

The community cafes serve up a fun environment for food, fellowship and everything from bingo to educational topics like healthy diets.

“This is the lifeblood of the organization. This last year we have had 1,400 active volunteers.”

—  Andrea Proulx Buinicki, CEO, Meals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois

At a presentation about the program, Meals on Wheels outreach coordinator Diannaha Thompson shared her work.

“I worked with the New Lenox Safe Community Coalition and their falls prevention group – they do a training for [balance] coaches," Thompson said. ”I’m now certified to work with them on their program as well as [with Meals on Wheels]. I’ve got a list of exercises they can do and different stretches. Easy ones they can do sitting down or holding onto a chair."

Occupational therapy students at Governors State University also have worked with their clients on fall risks, Proulx Buinicki said.

In the four-county service area, 3,200 home deliveries are made daily, and about 1,480 seniors visit a community cafe.

“Across our service area, we’ve seen incredible growth in our programs,” Proulx Buinicki said. “In 2024, we proudly served 1,170,051 meals, reflecting a 13% increase from the previous year.”

Meals on Wheels collaborates with caterers who specially prepare dishes with the nutrients seniors need and can accommodate allergies and medical conditions.

Volunteer roles

Volunteers can serve in a variety of ways, Proulx Buinicki said, adding, “This is the lifeblood of the organization. This last year, we have had 1,400 active volunteers.”

The organization relies primarily on volunteers to drive, she said. Drivers pick up the meals at a cafe location for their route, which starts with 10 or 12 clients and generally takes two or three hours to complete.

“They can pick a day every week or a day every month or come every day,” Proulx Buinicki said about time commitments. “We’re really flexible. We do offer a mileage reimbursement at the charitable rate.”

Other ways people can volunteer are to work as a cafe assistant, where they could help plate meals, serve, clean up, engage with seniors or provide entertainment or education.

“We also have a friendly call program, where folks can just be on the phone to talk to [enrolled] seniors,” Proulx Buinicki said, highlighting that it combats social isolation.

And groups are welcome to hold drives for individually packaged personal hygiene items as well as items like notecards and stamps.

“People thrive when they [can remain] in their own home; we’re spreading … support so they can stay in their home," she said of the push to increase volunteers and monetary donations.

Meals on Wheels can serve a senior for an entire year for about the same cost as just one day in a hospital or 10 days in a nursing home, according to Meals on Wheels America, which marked its 50th anniversary last year.

To qualify for home delivery, prospective clients can connect with the care coordination unit, which does a full assessment, at 312-207-5290 Proulx Buinicki said. The program also is open to the spouse or caregiver of a client age 60 or older.

Keeping the local Meals on Wheels program rolling has been a collaboration between two nonprofits, with the North Riverside-based Meals on Wheels Foundation of Northern Illinois handling fundraising and community outreach for the Community Nutrition Network & Senior Services Association.

The foundation, created in 2001, merged into the Community Nutrition Network effective March 31, which adopted the new name Meals on Wheels for Northern Illinois.

Access to Meals on Wheels is not based on qualifying income levels, with clients encouraged to make voluntary contributions when possible.

“We want to make sure that we’re getting to the people who need us most,” Proulx Buinicki said, noting they do outreach for those with the greatest economic and social need, covering people with low incomes, limited English proficiency or disabilities, or who are rural residents or members of a racial or ethnic minority.

Legislative action

A portion of the funding for Meals on Wheels is through the federal Older Americans Act. The community cafes are primarily funded by federal dollars at about 65-66%, Proulx Buinicki said.

The Older Americans Act is up for reauthorization right now, she said, encouraging residents to reach out to their federal elected officials to let them know these services are important to people in their districts.

“If that federal funding were to stop … the community cafe program would be a struggle to continue,“ Proulx Buinicki said. ”It’s important for people to know that."

Conversely, the home-delivered meals program receives only 15% of its funding from the federal government. The state funds 65-66%.

“The state is investing in the home-delivery program,” Proulx Buinicki said. “We are thrilled that in Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget [is an] $8 million increase. … Reach out to state representatives to let them know how vital these services are."

Proulx Buinicki has a deep personal appreciation for the value of Meals on Wheels. When her parents experienced health emergencies out East, she stayed with them for a time, but couldn’t indefinitely.

“It was a great peace of mind for me as a family member,” she said. “They were getting meals … and it’s eyes and ears on a loved one five days a week.”

To volunteer, donate or advocate for older adults in Northern Illinois, visit mowfni.org.