Meals on Wheels America Concludes 52nd Annual Convening of Local Providers, Calling on the Network to Meet the Moment

Held August 17-20 at Caesars Palace, this year's conference addressed the mounting pressure facing Meals on Wheels providers: serving more older adults with increasingly complex needs while navigating rising costs, workforce and volunteer shortages, funding uncertainty and growing expectations to demonstrate impact. Sessions and keynotes explored how the network can shift from short-term fixes to long-term strength by securing sustainable resources, advocating with urgency, operating more efficiently and using data to ensure the right services reach the right seniors at the right time.

For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels has been one of the most effective public-private solutions to senior hunger and loneliness. Yet demand for services continues to outpace funding and resources, allowing waitlists to grow nationwide. As part of Meals on Wheels America's bold goal to End the Wait®, this year's conference centered on building sustainable funding models, turning awareness into measurable action, scaling impact through efficiency and innovation and using data to drive smarter decisions and strengthen policy outcomes.

"Every year, this convening reminds me why our network is unlike any other," said Ellie Hollander, president and chief executive officer of Meals on Wheels America. "Local providers show up for their neighbors every single day; they deliver a meal, they check in on someone who might otherwise go the whole day without seeing another face and they do it in communities all across the country. This week was about honoring that work and making sure our providers have what they need to keep doing it, even as the need keeps growing and the path forward keeps getting harder. That means giving our network real tools, real strategies and a community they can lean on, so more seniors get the meal, the visit and the dignity they deserve."

During the event, Hollander also spotlighted a new food rescue partnership benefiting Las Vegas families. Earlier this year, Caesars Entertainment joined The Just One Project's Food Rescue Alliance, a program designed to rescue high-quality food from Las Vegas's world-class hospitality partners and redirect it to families across Southern Nevada. Much of the excess food from this week's conference will be distributed through The Just One Project's network and community programs, which serve tens of thousands of families across Southern Nevada each month.

Meals on Wheels America also honored an exemplary leader fueling the Meals on Wheels movement. The Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award was established in 2018 to celebrate the life and contributions of one of the Meals on Wheels network's most respected and influential leaders of all time. The 2026 honor went to Betty Bradley, executive director of Meals on Wheels Plus in Abilene, TX. Betty recently announced that she will be retiring after leading one of Abilene's most respected and effective non-profit organizations for 51 years.

This year's title sponsor, TRIO Community Meals, an Elior company, played a pivotal role in making this event possible. "TRIO is proud to once again stand alongside Meals on Wheels leaders, innovators and advocates," said John Kirk, president, TRIO Community Meals. "This year's theme, 'Meet the Moment,' reflects the realities our industry is facing: rising costs, growing need and an increasing responsibility to build sustainable solutions for the older adults who depend on us. Bringing this network together strengthens our collective ability to respond to those challenges, share ideas and continue moving senior nutrition forward."

Platinum sponsors included AARP Foundation, Caesars Foundation, Oliver, PetSmart Charities, The Home Depot Foundation and Truist.

The 2027 Meals on Wheels Annual Conference and Expo will be held August 16-19 in Atlanta, GA.

To learn more about the event, visit our website.

ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA

Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting approximately 5,000 community-based providers across the country dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. Through public awareness, funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers local providers to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. At a time when demand for Meals on Wheels services is growing, and many seniors are left waiting, Meals on Wheels America is dedicated to helping End the Wait® and ensuring every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it. For more information, or to locate a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit mealsonwheelsamerica.org. You can also find Meals on Wheels America on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok and X.

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SOURCE Meals on Wheels America