Press Room

A Movement Begins

Meals on Wheels San Francisco began in 1970 with the goal of ensuring 100 seniors in the city had food and access to services such as transportation to doctor’s and barber appointments, shopping, and more that helped them live independently. It received its nonprofit status the same year.

The Mission

Meals on Wheels San Francisco is committed to the belief that all seniors have the right to live independently with dignity and respect in their own homes for as long as safely possible. It is our mission to provide isolated homebound older adults in San Francisco with nutritious meals, daily human contact, and supportive services to prevent their premature institutionalization.

Our Impact - Nourishing the Whole Person

Today, Meals on Wheels San Francisco remains one of the biggest senior nutrition programs in the Bay Area and is the only organization in the region offering 2 home-delivered meals daily to adults 60+ in need. Annually, more than 5,000 homebound seniors rely on Meals on Wheels for their nutritional needs. The organization operates its own kitchen, preparing and delivering more than 2.5 million meals to seniors living in San Francisco and in Northern San Mateo County.

Looking to the Future

In 2020, The Sangiacomo Flynn Building, home to the Andy and Teri Goodman Nourishing Kitchen, allowing for increased meal production capacity. Our industrial kitchen, and state-of-the-art equipment gives us added capacity to produce 10,000 to 13,000 meals a day to keep up with the growing need for meals. In the event of an emergency, or in support of mission-centric partners in need of purchasing meals for their own clients, the kitchen can support production of up to 30,000 meals in a single day.

For Media Inquiries, Contact:

Jim Oswald
Director of Marketing and Communications
415.343.1315
joswald@mowsf.org

Meals on Wheels San Francisco at a Glance:

  • Founded in San Francisco in 1970: Our History
  • Mission: Meals on Wheels San Francisco is committed to the belief that all seniors have the right to live independently with dignity and respect in their own homes for as long as safely possible. Our mission is to provide isolated, homebound older adults in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties with nutritious meals, daily human contact, and supportive services to prevent premature institutionalization.
  • Meals on Wheels San Francisco is the only nonprofit organization in the Bay Area offering two home-delivered meals daily to seniors in need.
  • In November 2020, Meals on Wheels San Francisco opened The Sangiacomo Flynn Building, home to the Andy and Teri Nourishing Kitchen, one of the largest industrial kitchen and food distribution centers on the West Coast and one that allows the organization the capacity to prepare upwards of 10,000 meals daily.
  • In 2023, Meals on Wheels San Francisco prepared and delivered 1.7 million meals to older, homebound adults living in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.
  • More than 5,500 seniors rely on Meals on Wheels San Francisco for their nutrition and health needs.
  • Overall, in 2023, Meals on Wheels San Francisco prepared 2.5 million meals in its Industrial Kitchen and Food Distribution Center in Bayview, including more than 733,000 meals for Community Partners with similar missions of feeding people in need.
  • Meals on Wheels San Francisco also provides wraparound services, including wellness and safety checks, social work services, and nutrition counseling, helping seniors live independently and safely in their homes.
  • Meals on Wheels San Francisco will even provide a microwave and refrigerator for seniors with limited finances.

Learn More About Us!

 

Fact Sheets

Meals on Wheels Kitchen Capacity
in 2023

Who are Meals on Wheels
Recipients in 2023?


How We’re Changing Lives


Volunteers Impact

in 2023

Where Meals on Wheels Seniors Live
in San Mateo County

Where Meals on Wheels Seniors
Live in San Francisco

 

SF Seniors Served By District

Press Releases

Nourish Newsletter

Client Nourish Newsletter

Annual Impact Report & Financials

Media Coverage

November 26, 2020 San Francisco Examiner  Meals on Wheels San Francisco rolls out new building and Thanksgiving cheer

November 24, 2020 San Francisco Chronicle  New, bigger kitchen triples Meals on Wheels’ capacity

October 16, 2020 Voices of the Community, KSFP-FM  Meals on Wheels San Francisco Profile

July 2020 Channel Kindness  More Than a Meal: Meals on Wheels San Francisco Warms Stomachs and Hearts

May – June 2020 San Francisco Magazine  Hope Issue

May 22, 2020 LA Times  Gov. Gavin Newsom’s promise to feed California seniors falling short so far 

May 16, 2020 Nob Hill Gazette  The Unlikely Unifier

May 16, 2020 The Bold Italic  5 Bay Area Nonprofits Share the Biggest Ways We Can Help Right Now

April 8, 2020 SFist  Meals on Wheels SF see 60- to 100-percent uptick in new clients per week

March 20, 2020 SF Chronicle  San Francisco philanthropy takes a hit as coronavirus shutdown cancels charitable galas

March 19, 2020 KGO-TV  KGO-TV Coronavirus Resources

March 17, 2020 SF Chronicle  San Franciscans respond to coronavirus with offers of grocery runs, money, support

March 17, 2020 SF Chronicle  Coronavirus crisis: How to come together amid fundraiser cancellations? Keep giving

March 16, 2020 CAL Matters  What You Need to Know About California’s Lockdown of Seniors and the Chronically Ill

March 14, 2020 SF Chronicle  Coronavirus: How you can help Bay Area’s most vulnerable

March 14, 2020 SF Chronicle  Last man standing’: Bay Area nonprofits that help the vulnerable try to push on during coronavirus

Media and Information Requests

Please fill out our form if you have any media or press requests/inquiries.