More Than A Meal The Community Behind Meals On Wheels

For almost 60 years, Meals on Wheels Mackay has been delivering meals to local doors, but as well as the thousands of dinners leaving its kitchen each week, volunteers offer something equally important: connection.

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Established in Mackay in 1967, the organisation now dispatches approximately 4,000 meals each week, with around 450 clients, volunteers and staff forming what has affectionately become known as the “MOW family”.

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While Meals on Wheels is often associated with supporting older residents, the team says one of the biggest misconceptions is that the service - and volunteering for it - is only for older people.

“It is not just for old people!” said Service Manager Zoe Kennedy.

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“We have clients under 40 and volunteers under 30. There isn’t a particular age that defines someone who might need our service or someone who can give their time to help provide it.”

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Meals on Wheels is available to people of all ages, with the cost of meal packages varying depending on individual circumstances and any support or funding they may be eligible to receive. For many clients, the knock at the door also brings much more than a homestyle meal. Volunteers take the time to chat and check that everything is okay, providing regular social contact that can help reduce isolation while giving families reassurance that someone is checking in on their loved one.

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“For me, it’s the connection between people,” Zoe said.

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“The food is a bonus, but what we do goes well beyond a meal. Seeing our staff and volunteers have purpose in what they do, and our clients smiling and having a connection with another person, is what makes it worthwhile.”

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That sense of connection extends to the diverse group of volunteers who keep the service moving, including former police officers, nurses, teachers and coal miners, as well as local students and businesses.

Senior students from Mackay Special School take part in their own dedicated weekly delivery run, with the organisation working to maintain those connections after graduation. Some former students have even progressed into paid employment with Meals on Wheels.

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Students and teachers from Milton High School also join the delivery team each week, while local businesses give employees opportunities to volunteer through workplace community programs.

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Among the organisation’s regular volunteers is well-known Mackay radio personality Rob Kidd.

“It always gives me a chuckle when someone realises who he is when he springs in the door,” Zoe said.

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“He’s so full of life and has a way of making everyone smile – or blush.”

Meals on Wheels Mackay will soon take their community spirit to the upcoming Seniors Expo, where residents can meet the team, ask questions and learn more about becoming a client or volunteer.

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Like many community organisations, Meals on Wheels is currently facing a shortage of volunteers and is encouraging people who may never have considered volunteering to give it a go. Importantly, helping out does not have to mean committing every day, or even every week.

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“There’s a place here for people who simply want to be part of something meaningful,” Zoe said.

“Every person who gives their time, no matter how much, becomes part of our MOW family and helps us continue supporting the wider community.”

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After almost six decades of service, the organisation is now focused on ensuring Meals on Wheels remains strong for the next generation.

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With thousands of meals delivered and hundreds of people connected through the service each week, the team believes its impact is best understood by looking beyond the numbers.

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“Meals On Wheels really is a community within a community.”

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