In 2024, the Osceola Council on Aging (OCOA) served more than 103,000 meals to seniors and disabled adults through our Meals on Wheels (MOW) nutrition program. As one can imagine, the initiative is an enormous undertaking between food procurement, coordination, meal preparation, and planning, not to mention the task of delivering hundreds of meals each day to isolated, frail, homebound seniors.
The OCOA has provided food assistance to the community for more than 50 years. It was 1975 when our team became the designated MOW provider for Osceola County when our population was around 40,000. Since then, our population has grown to well over 400,000. Thus, the need for nutritional assistance programs has grown congruent with our population. In response, the OCOA has worked persistently to meet this challenge by establishing the OCOA’s Congregate Dining Club, opening two food pantries in Kissimmee and St. Cloud, as well as continuing to augment and expand of our MOW operation.
Accordingly, our MOW initiative relies heavily on volunteers. We are constantly recruiting additional volunteers to support our overall mission, while also focusing on recruiting corporate teams and businesses to adopt MOW delivery routes.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Department has been a longstanding partner in delivering meals to our community. During the height of COVID-19, we could not have managed without their unwavering support. For two years, deputies logged routes alongside our staff, delivering meals, and checking on the well-being of seniors to ensure they were safe and nourished.
“Our team absolutely loves supporting the Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels, Osceola Program,” said Osceola Sheriff Christopher Blackmon. “Delivering meals is more than just dropping off food. It is about providing connection, compassion, and for some residents, a vital security check for those who are isolated and need our company the most.”
We also extend our gratitude to the Osceola County Association of Realtors, who also have a MOW delivery route. Their dedication and support over the years has been truly invaluable.
“At Osceola REALTORS, giving back is at the heart of who we are,” said OSCAR President Renee Clark. “Our partnership with the Council has been a meaningful way for members to directly serve the community. We encourage all businesses to get involved. The impact is immediate, and the reward is immeasurable.”
Other dedicated meal delivery volunteer groups include the Rotary Club of Kissimmee West, the Solivita Group, the Opportunity Center, and Osceola Air & Heat, to name a few. In addition, several government organizations proudly volunteer their time, including the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections, the Osceola County Property Appraiser’s Office, and the Osceola County Tax Collector’s Office, along with countless community members and volunteer organizations.
To date, we are proud to say the OCOA’s MOW initiative has delivered nearly five million meals to community residents since its inception, with nearly 350 active volunteers who have dedicated a whopping 30,000 volunteer hours in support of this mission.
Nationally, Meals on Wheels America supports more than 5,000 communities across the United States, with Osceola County being one of Central Florida’s largest regions needing nutritional assistance services. Our program is a costly undertaking, and why local fundraising events, community and business philanthropic partnerships, and our dedicated volunteers are such an integral part of our MOW initiative.
Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to join our team. Even a few hours of volunteer time each week will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our senior clients.
For more information, contact Michelle Vega, Volunteer Coordinator, at vegam@osceola-coa.com.
To our incredible volunteers, corporate teams, and community organizations, Thank You for your precious time, your kindness, your compassion, and most of all, your generosity to the seniors we all have the honor and pleasure of serving! The true measure of a community is how it cares for its elders, ensuring they feel valued, safe, and not alone.
