Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois

Back in 1968, the CEDA (Community and Economic Development Association) and a group of citizens of Cook County, Illinois noticed that many Evanston seniors were at risk of malnutrition because they were not able to cook or buy their own meals. This concerned group decided to do something about it, so they approached Sister Mary Alfreda Bracht, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Francis Hospital. She worked with the hospital’s kitchen to prepare meals that could be delivered to these seniors at home. Volunteers were recruited, delivery routes were laid out, and Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois was born. The first deliveries went out in October 1968. Over the years, more residents and counties expressed the need for these prepared meal services. As our service area grew, so did the amount of volunteers we needed. From Wilmette to East Glenview, our momentum just keeps going. We added our Friendly Visit program in 2002 and our grocery shopping program in 2012 where volunteers shop for our clients. All in all, ​Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois now delivers in Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, North Chicago, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie, Waukegan, Wilmette, Winnetka, Winthrop Harbor, and Zion.