The Meals on Wheels Programme was established in September 1964 in East London, South Africa and as a result of the success of this project, another branch was opened in Cape Town.
Meals on Wheels is one of the non-profit making activities run by MOWCS, and is the Response of a Caring Community to the hunger, loneliness and fear being experienced by so many of our Senior Citizens today. The meals are usually prepared in specially equipped Meals on Wheels kitchens and are then delivered by way of a special delivery vehicle that is manned by a driver and a “hopper.” “Hoppers” not only present the meals to the Senior Citizens, but they also lend a caring and listening ear to the lonely, offer guidance and advice wherever this is needed, and refer Senior Citizens to various other services that can make their retirement years more pleasant and more meaningful. Meals on Wheels also provides freshly cooked meals to HIV patients.
In the financial year ending February 2010, we will be celebrating 50 years of Sunnyside Lodge’s existence, and 40 years of Tygerberg Service Centre’s existence. During this time God has blessed the program, and we thank Him.
We are planning to start new projects in George (Thembalethu), Mossel Bay, Atlantis, Landsdowne, Khayelitsha, and Oudtshoorn. This will result in great benefit for the beneficiaries of these areas. We continue to strive to deliver an effective, efficient and economical service to the beneficiaries. We are committed to the continuous development of our managers and staff through various training programs.
The recession will have an adverse effect on our program. We will continue to implement cost cutting strategies, and marketing strategies in order to make our program sustainable. We will continue to closely monitor our programs for both relevance to the needs of the beneficiaries and financial sustainability.
“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown.
And he replied:
Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.”a
