Our Values

• Client centred care – We prioritize the well-being of our clients above all else.

• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – We are for everyone and celebrate diversity, being an inclusive workplace and creating a sense of belonging.

• Integrity – We uphold ourselves and each other to be honest, transparent, and accountable.

• Kindness – We unconditionally care for each other with compassion and understanding.

• Quality – We uphold the highest standards in everything we do.

• Respect – We treat all people with dignity and fairness, and value diverse perspectives.

• Teamwork – Coming together as one to get the job done.

Feeding our city, strengthening our community.

Since 1965, Calgary Meals on Wheels has specialized in preparing and delivering nutritious meals, a critical service in Calgary’s charitable food-security landscape. We believe that reliable nutrition is a crucial link to overall individual and societal health and wellness. With the rise of inflation and less accessibility to affordable, nutrient rich foods, Calgary is facing an increase in food insecurity. This complex problem impacts the social well-being, academic and economic potential, and overall health of our community. Working alongside our in-house Registered Dietitian and Red Seal Chefs, we carefully craft affordable meals that are nutritious and accommodating to special diets. These fully prepared meals are offered at a flexible sliding scale rate, meaning that even the those on the lowest of incomes are well fed. Through an engaged network of employees, volunteers, and donors we execute our mission of improving the food security and well-being of our community by preparing and delivering nutritious, quality, and affordable meals. Through this network we deliver approximately 5,500 nutritious and locally prepared meals each day. We make a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable community members through our three program pillars: Home Delivery, Schools , and Community programs. 

Our Impact

We prepare and deliver nutritious, quality, and affordable meals.

Providing more than a million meals to those in need, our programs ensure that CMOW not only addresses food insecurity but also enriches the lives of our clients by promoting dignity, health, and community resilience.

• Reduced worries about household income by alleviating financial stress by providing affordable meals, allowing them to focus on other essential needs and priorities

• Healthier communities by providing access to balanced, quality meals that contributes to improved overall health, reducing the risk o chronic illnesses and supporting better physical and mental well-being.

• Social connection and belonging – meal deliveries often serve as a critical point of social interaction for clients, fostering a sense of connection and combatting feelings of loneliness or isolation.

• Improved transition from hospital to home by providing reliable meal services for individuals to recover from the comfort of their home, supporting a smother recovery process and reducing the likelihood of hospital readmissions.

• Empowering regional agencies - Through partnerships, CMOW enables other organizations to support their clients with nutritious meals, amplifying the impact across the community and strengthening the local support network.

2024-2026 Strategic Plan
Financial Statements
2023 Annual Report

Our facility was created with environmental efficiencies in mind.

• Energy Efficiency: Our rooftop solar panels and the heat from freezer condensers fuel our boilers.

• Water Conservation: A rainwater collection tank supplies our landscaping irrigation.

• Waste Reduction: We partner with a grease collection company to process and compost waste.

• Sustainable Sourcing: We prioritize local ingredients, including AB Beef, Centennial Meats, and seasonal produce.

• Vendor Alignment: We ask potential contractors and vendors about their ESG policies to ensure alignment with our values.

• Single-Use Plastic Reduction: This year, we revamped our menu and packaging to comply with the federal plastics ban and reduce single-use plastics overall.

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): We’ve undertaken intentional steps in our DEI journey, including four all-day, all-staff training sessions and the initiation of a Reconciliation and Decolonization Strategy. These efforts not only foster belonging among staff and volunteers but also help us better serve our communities.

Learn More
Environmental, Social, and Governance Policy

Donor Newsletters

Home Delivery

Our Chef’s Daily Special

Established in 1965, Our Chef’s Daily Special is our daily meal & delivery service. This program is ideal for individuals or couples who are on a fixed income and/or require assistance accessing nutritious & affordable fresh food. Operating on a 3-week, non selective rotating menu that can accommodate various dietary restrictions this program can be utilized 3-7 days a week with deliveries arriving from Monday - Friday. Delivery is free, there is no wait list and prices are determined on a sliding scale based on income.

My Choice Menu

Established in 1998, our My Choice Menu is a selection of 75+ a-la-carte frozen meals. Ideal for individuals, couples, or busy families this program offers flexibility and choice with options that accommodate dietary restrictions at an affordable, but set price. Delivery is free and is available Monday - Friday between 10:45am - 1pm. Order at your convenience in our online store.

Schools

Hot Soup Program

Since 2000, in partnership with the Calgary Board of Education, twice a week Calgary Meals on Wheels delivers a nutritious hot soup lunch to elementary schools with vulnerable students at no cost to the students or the schools. Many of the children participating in the Hot Soup Program  face difficult personal life situations, poor nourishment, and family stresses. The Hot Soup Program ensures children will have a nutritious lunch, giving them the energy required to concentrate and learn.  As this program is 100% funded by community support, we are continually seeking funding to support the maintenance and growth of this program and to enable these children to better learn and reach their full potential. 

Student Nutrition Program

Established in 2014, the Student Nutrition Program was put into place for schools that have been identified with a high population of nutritionally vulnerable students without the resources or facility to produce meals. Funded by the Government of Alberta via the school districts, this program allows schools to purchase 100+ items from our menu to have on site for students as needed. Full bellies reduce students’ stress and anxiety and improves focus of learning, health and well-being.

Community

Regional Program

Established in 2013, our Regional Program is ideal for rural or small towns orbiting the greater Calgary area who do not have their own Meals on Wheels, or want to supplement the meals that are currently available locally. Currently, we are partnered with FCSS in Cochrane, Strathmore, Wheatland County, as well as Longview Seniors and the Chestermere Food Bank.

Agency Program

Ideal for organizations without resources or the facilities to produce meals for their clients but wish to incorporate meals into their programs, our agency program empowers agencies to focus on their core services. This program was established in 1996 and we are currently working with 6 Alpha House locations.

More than a Meal Partnerships

Calgary Meals on Wheels is proud to work with a variety of community organizations, to assist us in providing meaningful connections to our clients.

Calgary Police Service 
As one of the partner agencies involved with the Integrated School Support Project, we provide approximately 250 breakfasts and more than 425 lunches each week to two elementary schools. 

Seniors Secret Service 
All year round we have the great joy of delivering birthday gifts to our regular senior clients. Each Holiday season we are able to offer hundreds of our senior clients festive holiday gifts to spread cheer and warmth, all thanks to this wonderful partnership. 

Calgary Fire Department 
Each year the Calgary Fire Department offers smoke detector inspections and replacements for our clients, helping to keep them safe in their homes. 

Florist Supply 
Each week beautiful bouquets of older, unsaleable flowers are donated for us to share with our regular home delivery clients. 

Quilting Guilds 
Various quilting guids around the city regularly provide us with beautiful handmade placemats that we gladly distribute to our clients to help brighten their homes.  

Letters Against Isolation 
This partnership provides us with handwritten letters that we can share with seniors and homebound clients to offer comfort and community connection. 

Schools  
The youth of Calgary help us spread community connection by way of thousands of colourful handmade greeting cards made by elementary students all school-year long. 

A history of helping.

Calgary in 1964 was a growing and relatively affluent city. The civic census taken in January of 1965 indicated a population of 311,116, an increase of 16,192 people over the 1964 census conducted in April.

In Calgary the population of elderly was increasing. The Hospital Chaplaincy Committee of the Calgary Presbytery of the United Church expressed concerns that elderly people living alone were being discharged from hospitals with no support system during their recovery. In January 1964 they requested that the United Church Women study the matter and report back. A pilot project for meal service was recommended. This project, called Calgary Church Women’s Community Care (Meals on Wheels), was registered as a society under the terms of the Societies’ Act of the Province of Alberta and commenced operation on November 15th, 1965 with 8 clients. Meals were prepared in the kitchen of the Calgary North Hill Community YMCA.

At that time $3,459.36 had been raised through May Day teas and individual contributions.

The pilot project continued until February 1967 when the need for the service was confirmed. In 1967 the organization became a United Way Fund agency. In May 1967 Winnifred Hardy was appointed Executive Director and a search began for larger premises.

Onwards and upwards.

Esther Elder

CEO

CEO of Calgary Meals on Wheels with more than 20 years’ experience in the social-profit sector. Esther has held several leadership positions and has a deep understanding of community challenges and opportunities. An energetic, hands-on strategic leader with a passion for building community and effecting social change.

Karen McKeogh

Manager of Charitable Initiatives and Strategic Engagement

Karen started working at Calgary Meals on Wheels in April 2022 in the Philanthropy department and became the Manager in August.  She is responsible for guiding a team of four to achieving each year's fundraising goal through events, campaigns, grant applications and funding proposals. Her department provides all external messaging to the community to educate and engage with Calgarians about the work we do.  

Christine Hentschel

Community Builder and Development Manager

Christine oversees our involvement in community partnerships that support social connection for our clients, and contributes to our collaborative committees and projects in the sector. Christine is also our data guru and has more than a decade of non-profit experience.

Kelly Gauthier

Facility and Logistics Manager

Kelly began volunteering with Calgary Meals on Wheels in 2019 and became a staff driver in March of 2020. A little over a year later, this Regina-born gentleman began working with us full-time as Operations Manager. When not at Meals on Wheels, Kelly spends time with his wife of 28 years, his two kids and his newly born grandson.

Sandra Nicholas

Controller

Sandy joined Calgary Meals on Wheels in May 2024 and brings over 20 years of experience in financial accounting, project management, auditing, and leadership. As an accomplished and dedicated Senior Accountant, she obtained her CPA in 2016. Having lived in Banff and Canmore for 15 years, Sandy has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and takes every opportunity to return to the mountains.

Karen Forster

Production Manager

As a SAIT graduate in Dietary Service Technology, Karen brings decades of experience in food and nutrition. Prior to joining Calgary Meals on Wheels in 2006, she worked with AHS in positions that utilized her expertise in clinical nutrition, production and retail management. She oversees our production department and has developed and mentored a strong and dedicated team of 18 who are passionate about combating food insecurity. Karen maintains our high-quality menu standards by developing standardized recipes, analyzing detailed nutritional data, and procurement of quality products at competitive pricing. Karen also established all our workflow processes for cook chill/cook freeze meal production, maintaining efficiencies and food-safety protocol in all areas of food service production.

Board of Directors

Interested in joining the team? Check out available opportunities here.