Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio
At the core, Meals on Wheels provides a nutritious meal, companionship, and a watchful eye on the health and safety of seniors. We are committed to supporting seniors to live healthier and more nourished lives in their homes in Stark, Summit, Wayne, Portage, Carroll, Holmes, and Tuscarawas Counties.
Home-delivered Meals
Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious, freshly made meals right to your doorstep. The service is an ideal choice for seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals recently released from the hospital.
Home-delivered meals promote wellness in those at risk of facing hunger and reduce the risk of hospital re-admissions, malnutrition, and loneliness.
Whether you use our services on a short or long-term basis, you can enjoy all of the ways VANTAGE delivers more than just a meal.
Congregate Meals
Congregate meals are healthy meals served in group settings. They aim to offer older adults a nutritious meal in a group setting to provide an opportunity for social engagement and to connect with other. We have congregate meal locations in Stark, Summit and Wayne counties. Please call the office for more information.
Mobile Food Outreach Program
MOWNEO’s Mobile food outreach program is available in various locations in Stark and Wayne Counties. Eligible individuals must be age 60+, live in the county when the program is located and identify as being food insecure. Please call the office for dates and locations of the outreach programs and to register to receive meals.
Nutritious Meals
You cannot live an independent life if you are hungry. Meals on Wheels supports your nutritional needs so that you can remain happy and healthy at home.
With nutritious meals, you can improve your health, sharpen your mind, and manage chronic illnesses. Gain access to nutritious, ready-to-eat or heat meals even when support, mobility, or resources are lacking.
Friendly Visits
Our trusted volunteers and staff members bring a meal and a smile with each delivery. For many, the delivery person is the only individual our clients talk to all day. Meals on Wheels visits provide something to look forward to and the opportunity to socialize.
Safety Checks
Meals on Wheels drivers provide a safety check during each visit. They look for changes in the person’s behavior and environment and know to alert medics, professionals, and family members when something is wrong. Have peace of mind knowing you or your loved one has someone watching out. When a change is noticed, a call or message goes to the team social worker to follow-up on any concerns.
Wheels for Wags
As part of the Meals on Wheels program, Wheels for Wags provides free pet food for all clients with animals. The program originated when volunteers noticed that many seniors were feeding their pets from their own meals.
The goal of Wheels for Wags is to keep our clients together and happy with their pets by providing companion animals with healthy and nutritious food. Wheels for Wags ensures that pet food is provided so that the owner doesn’t need to worry about how to obtain or afford nutritious food for a pet that may be their only companion.
We are always accepting donations for more dog and cat food for our clients’ pets. If you are interested, please email us at info@vantageaging.org.
Eligibility
Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio works with many different funding sources. Please call the office to see if you might qualify for assist with the cost of your meals. We do offer a private pay option for anyone. We accept: Title IIIC, Passport, Care coordination, CareSource MyCare, United Healthcare MyCare, some Medicare Advantage Plans.
How to Get Started
Getting nutritious, delicious Meals on Wheels is easy! Simply contact us at 330-515-5605 or referrals@vantageaging.org to let us know you are interested. Or, fill out this online form.
Community Partnerships
Governed by community advocates serving on our Board of Directors, Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio has established relationships with multiple community partners including:
- Local hospitals
- AARP Ohio
- AEP
- Age Friendly Akron/Summit
- Age Friendly Stark
- Akron Bar Association
- Akron Community Foundation
- Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Akron Public Schools
- Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank
- Barberton Area Community Ministries
- Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Cuyahoga Falls Chamber of Commerce
- Direction Home Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities
- Fairlawn Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce
- Medina Chamber of Commerce
- Metro RTA
- PLEXUS LGBT + Allied Chamber of Commerce
- Senior Sales Admissions and Marketing Association
- Stark Board of Developmental Disabilities
- Stark County Healthcare Professionals
- Stark Help Central
- Stow Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce
- Summit County 211
- Summit County -Adult Protective Services
- Summit County Department of Job & Family Services
- Summit County Public Health
- Summit DD
- Summit Senior Coalition
- The Senior Summit
- The Timken Company
- Unite Us
- University of Akron
- Wayne Senior Service Network
- Western Reserve Senior Coalition
- Wooster Chamber of Commerce
Our History
Effective January 1, 2019, Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties and VANTAGE Meals on Wheels of Northern Ohio merged to form Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio. Announced on October 1, 2018, the merger allows more seniors to receive nutritious meals in a three-county service area to support their health and ability to age-in-place.
Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties has been serving homebound and nutritionally at-risk individuals across the two-county area located in Northeast Ohio. Established in 1973 as a senior meal program called The Stark Nutrition Program, founders included Canton Mayor Stanley A. Cmich, business leader William Belden, Jr., and community leader Jane Schirack. Initially, a direct service of United Way of Central Stark County, the nonprofit became an independent agency in 1991.
Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties started as a catered company serving 435 seniors per day through satellite nutrition sites in Stark & Wayne counties. In 1997, the agency expanded and opened its own commissary, unique to this area and specifically designed to meet our community’s needs. Over the past 45 years, more than 13 million meals were prepared and delivered to clients by thousands of community volunteers.
Meals on Wheels of Northern Ohio formed in 1984 as a nutrition program designed to support older adults. Originally serving a hot lunch daily, as the need to serve more people grew, so did service offerings. Eventually, the program grew from serving 5,000 meals a year to delivering over 250,000 frozen meals to over 800 homebound and feeding another 250 congregate dining clients every day.
Together, the merged Meals on Wheel programs, now known as Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio will continue to serve clients in 11 counties. We provide “More Than A Meal” with nutritious meals, friendly visit, wellness checks and pet food to client’s dogs or cats.
Where We Serve Meals
We have several grab and go sites, congregate sites and home delivered meals. Please contact the Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio offices to get location information for Grab and Go mobile outreach locations and dates as well as congregate meal locations.
Types of Meals We Provide
We provide hot meals, ready to eat, frozen meals, cold sack meals, breakfast meals and pureed meals. A person-centered plan will be completed during the intake process.
