Chambersburg Meals on Wheels

CHAMBERSBURG Meals On Wheels

History

The effort to establish a Chambersburg Meals on Wheels program started in early 1968 as a 25-week pilot program sponsored jointly by the First Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran Churches. Church members donated $500 in "seed money," elected a steering committee, and began to form an organization and search for volunteers. Subsequent research and strategy meetings led to a luncheon on September 24, 1968, at which time it was agreed to activate the Meals on Wheels program. Six days later, on September 30, 1968, five meals were delivered to the first recipients.

At first meals were purchased from local caterers and restaurants. Then, on June 9, 1969, Meals on Wheels began preparing the meals in the kitchen of First Lutheran Church on West Washington Street. That arrangement with the church has continued to the present day, fifty years later. And, thanks to a very generous donation, in 2018 Meals on Wheels was able to fund a needed upgrade to First Lutheran's kitchen that included new cabinets, painting, and electrical work.

The need for the program has grown each year, and in 2013, the 45th year of continuous operation, Chambersburg Meals on Wheels delivered our ONE MILLIONTH MEAL to one of the special people who are our clients. Now on to the second million.

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Meals on Wheels,
    year after year,
Serves the homebound
    with many volunteers
Giving their time,
    their care and concern,
Willingly showing up
    whenever their turn.

Mornings are kitchen duty
    to pack and to seal,
Then with their cars
    they deliver each meal.
Many of the needy
    are alone all day;
Volunteers check up
    in a kindly way.

So many give time
    and many contribute
With food donations
    and meals to distribute.
Helping the homebound
    is a constant necessity,
Meals on Wheels does that
    in our community.

Dolores LeMieux - 2010

Updated Feb 20, 2024