Meals on Wheels
Empowering People
“What a joy it is to hear the greetings of the volunteers each morning. Just like starting the day with a beautiful song! They say it so well. We are very thankful for the meals. I’m very satisfied with the food and service.”
Volunteers deliver a hot, nutritious lunch Monday through Friday to homebound seniors citizens. Each meal is 1/3 of the Dietary Reference Intakes.
Who Qualifies for Meals on Wheels?
Meals on Wheels is available to homebound seniors, aged 60 and older, who are residents of the LOA’s service area (Virginia’s Fifth Planning District). The senior must be unable to prepare a nutritious mid-day meal with no one available or willing to prepare the meal for them. Spouses and disabled dependents, regardless of age, MAY also qualify. This helps alleviate caregiver stress and worry.
“LOA is the best thing that ever happened to me. Thank you for helping me.”
Donations
The Meals on Wheels program serves 500 recipients each day, so it relies on a variety of sources to cover the costs of these meals. The program receives funding from federal, state, and local governments, the Greater Alleghany Fund, and the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia. Those funds are supplemented with generous donations from individuals and organizations in our community, grants, and recipient donations.
“Next year I will be 90 years old. I am restricted in many ways! LOA’s help is a blessing to me. A wonderful help.”
If you would like to donate, click here to donate now or make checks payable to LOA Meals on Wheels and send to P.O. Box 14205, Roanoke, VA, 24038-4205. Donations are tax deductible.
How to Become Involved
Enrollment
If you, or someone you know, may benefit from Meals-on-Wheels, call (540) 345-0451. Our staff will be able to assess the need for home delivered meals.
“I am so happy to be at home.”
Volunteer Drivers
All of our meals are delivered by volunteers. Routes take only 1 to 2 hours per day. LOA offers flexibility: you can volunteer once a week, every other week, once a month or once a year; you choose the route and day(s) you wish to deliver. Directions are provided. Ask about our corporate volunteer program. If you would like to volunteer, call the LOA office in your area. We still have many open routes available!
Nutrition Education
Anyone that is eligible for LOA’s Meals on Wheels or Congregate Meals (Diner’s Club) is also eligible for Nutrition Education and will automatically be provided with materials and/or presentations. The intent is to support food, nutrition and physical activity choices and behaviors in order to maintain or improve health.
Nutrition Counseling
Those who meet the eligibility criteria for Meals on Wheels and are assessed at a high nutritional risk can be referred to a Registered Dietician for a nutrition consultation.
Pets Eat Too
Another component of Meals on Wheels is Pets Eat Too. In partnership with the Roanoke Valley SPCA, the LOA utilizes their donated pet food to assist our Meals on Wheels recipients and their furry friends. Recipients who are pet owners get a weekly allotment of pet food (dog or cat food) delivered to them along with their meals.
“I thank God for LOA and Meals-on-Wheels. It’s a blessing to people who live alone and can’t do for themselves.”
Farm Market Fresh
Low- to moderate-income older adults can receive vouchers for fresh and nutritious locally grown fruit, vegetables, and cut herbs. Seniors aged 60 and older with income of less than $2322/month are eligible to apply. Qualified seniors will receive $50 worth of vouchers to buy fresh produce during June-November at local farmers’ markets with authorized farmers participating. Vouchers are available starting June 1st and are valid through November 17, 2024.
For general questions about the Farm Market Fresh program, please contact Michele Daley at (540) 345-0451 ext. 3027.
Participating Farmers Markets
Seniors must use vouchers by November 17, 2024
Below are the current farmers markets in our region that have at least one participating farmer that will accept vouchers:
- Roanoke – 3 farmers at Grandin Village Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8am-12pm, in the parking lot behind the Roanoke Co+op, 1319 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA
- Roanoke – 4 farmers at West End Farmers Market: Tuesdays, 3pm-6pm, 1027 Patterson Ave SW, Roanoke, VA
- Salem – 7 farmers at Salem Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8am-12pm; and Wednesdays (in July & August only), 2pm-6pm; 3 E Main St, Salem, VA
- Botetourt – 2 farmers at Botetourt Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8:30am-12pm, 90 Town Center St, Daleville, VA
- Covington – 1 farmer at Covington Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9am-12pm, 134 W Main St, Covington, VA
In addition to providing fresh, locally grown food to area seniors, this program also supports local farmers and farmers markets. The Farm Market Fresh program, also known as the Senior & WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (S/FMNP) is a federal and state nutrition program administered by the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). DARS authorizes farmers to accept Virginia’s S/FMNP vouchers at farmers’ markets.
Senior Food Boxes
Senior food boxes are delivered on the third Tuesday of every month in Roanoke, the second Wednesday of the month in Craig and the third Wednesday in Botetourt.
Senior Food Boxes is a joint venture of Feeding Southwest Virginia, the USDA, and the LOA. Eligible seniors receive a monthly food package consisting of all 5 major food groups and a loaf of cheese from the food bank. Included in the box you’ll find canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, beans, cereal, pasta, bottled juice, shelf-stable milk, canned meat, and 2 lbs of American cheese. Volunteers then help the LOA deliver these boxes to the seniors’ homes.
Eligibility
- Be 60 years of age or older
- Meet income requirements (130% below Federal Poverty Level)
- Live in Roanoke City or County, Salem, Botetourt, or Craig Counties
Volunteers call you the day before to ensure that you will be home when the volunteers deliver the boxes to your home. You must be home in order to receive the box and you must sign for it.
Please call our office if you are interested in receiving a Senior Food Box at 540-345-0451.
Soup for Seniors
Soup for Seniors began in October of 2006 as a Make a Difference Day Project for LOA’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs. That first year we had very modest goals of serving those within the program as well as the Meals on Wheels recipients. The community fully embraced the project. So much soup and crackers was donated that the LOA was able to service all of its clients, other needy seniors in the community as well as others in neighboring communities. In 2011, with new restrictions of the founding programs, the LOA took the project on as an agency-wide service and joined forces with AARP Virginia. Collection and distribution was moved to early February in order to serve the senior population in the most vulnerable part of winter.