More Than A Meal,
More Than A Season
At Meals on Wheels Central Texas, your support does more than put food on the table. It provides life-enriching care for thousands of older and homebound Central Texans.
Your support enables them to remain independent with dignity. This season, we're sharing stories from our neighbors that shine a light on the impact your compassion creates.
As you prepare for the holidays, we ask that you consider what support you can give this season.
Your support will make all the difference during the holidays.
The holidays can be an especially difficult time for our homebound neighbors. Grief, isolation, loneliness, and limited resources are some of the struggles they'll face.
Now more than ever, they'll depend on our knock. With every visit, Meals on Wheels Central Texas will deliver care that helps them in more than one way.
Walk with us as we share stories that show just how much your support means. Whether you donate, volunteer, or share a message of support—know your support changes lives!
How you make a difference is up to you!
You hold the key to making this season a meaningful one. Not just for Barbara, Juan, James, and Donna, but for thousands Central Texas older adults. There's many ways to make a difference, so please show up in any way that you can.
Here's how you can help:
Donate. Every gift directly supports a range of life-enriching services that help our neighbors remain in the comfort of their homes, safely and with dignity.
Volunteer. Your time is valuable. Whether you help us deliver meals, pack groceries, or spend a meaningful moment with a neighbor—it all matters.
Stay Connected. Follow along as we share stories about the real impact of your support. You can find these stories in our emails and on social media.
The Season of Hope:
Meet Barbara
Meet Barbara — a retired elementary teacher and former landscaper lovingly known as “Barbara Butterfly.” At 88, she still maintains an active and healthy life, tending to her garden each day.
Unfortunately, her limited mobility and a modest retirement check make it difficult to get the essentials. She does not have many options to get groceries or food on her own.
That’s where your generosity steps in. Because of supporters like you, volunteers arrive at Barbara’s door every day with hot, healthy lunch and warm smiles. And every month, our HOPE grocery deliveries help fill her pantry, so hunger becomes one less worry.
Her volunteers are more than just helpers. Barabara shares, “Laura is my legs in the yard. And Terry gives me the best hugs in the world.”
Your support makes this care possible, enabling Barbara to remain fiercely independent.
This season, you can make a difference not just for Barbara, but for thousands of neighbors who depend on this lifeline to remain independent. You can make this a Season of Hope for those who truly need it.
The Season of Safety:
Meet Juan
Juan is a proud veteran and loving father who worked hard to provide for his family. Upon retiring, he purchased a former rental property and put in the work to make it a safe, comfortable home.
Over time, maintenance and repairs became too much to manage alone. After a tree collapsed on his home during the 2020 ice storm, he knew he needed urgent help to stop the mold that was growing.
That's when Juan turned to our Meals on Wheels Central Texas Home Repair program which supports veterans. The team got to work quickly, fixing the roof and even addressing underlying plumbing issues.
“I couldn’t have afforded any of this alone,” Juan shares. "They went above and beyond."
Compassionate Central Texans like you help heroes like Juan age in place with peace of mind. Your generosity today will make safety and comfort possible for other veterans in need.
The Season of Dignity:
Meet James
James (74) is a former pastor who’s always thrived on connection, but when he retired, he felt that he’d lost his sense of belonging. Many older adults, especially those who live alone, can experience loneliness and isolation due to limited opportunities for social interaction at home.
Today, James has a routine which brings him purpose. That routine is a daily visit to one of our Congregate Lunch sites which gets him out of the house for lunch among his peers.
“I don’t know what I would do to get up in the morning if I didn’t have this,” James says.
With more than 18 sites across Central Texas, Congregate keeps adults ages 60 + nourished and connected. On top of lunch and activities, these sites provide a range of life-enriching programming. In the last month, sites held flu-shot clinics, early voting hubs, and educational workshops on navigating the healthcare system—each of these increasing our neighbors’ participation, choice, and confidence.
“When you retire, you think you’re going to travel,” says James. “We don’t have that kind of money. This right here gives you something to belong to.”
Neighbors like James will count on these community hubs for the care, connection, and resources that enable their independence this season and onward. Make this the Season of Dignity with a gift that gives neighbors a place to belong to.
The Season of Connection: Meet Donna
At 64, Donna's living with visual impairment, but she’s determined to maintain her independence. With the help of Meals on Wheels Central Texas, Donna receives more than meals—she receives the daily support and encouragement that helps her live life on her own terms.
Donna first visited one of our congregate lunch centers for a healthy meal and friendly company. When her SNAP benefits ran short, she was referred to our home‑delivered meal service — and everything changed.
“It’s the smile, the ‘hi,’ and the ‘thank you’,” Donna says. “One of my volunteers is deaf, but we always find ways to connect.”
During a time when Donna says she felt invisible, a call from our staff and friendly volunteer visits reminded her she wasn’t alone. Today, you can make a gift that ensures neighbors like Donna have a community of support through tough times.
