Letter: What’s in a meal? Feeding our Central Vermont neighbors
April 3, 2026To the Community:
Have you seen the countless hands and faces behind every home-delivered meal (usually referred to as Meals on Wheels)? Every day, teams of volunteers and small staffs show up at their local nutrition program site because they believe in the mission of feeding their neighbors a warm and nutritious lunch. Last year, this effort added up to 224,395 meals served across the region to 2,638 recipients.
Central Vermont Council on Aging is beyond grateful to those who give their time and talent to the mission of supporting older adults to age with dignity and choice, without whom this fragile system could not function. The Older Americans Act makes it the responsibility of governments to create equal access for every older person “free and full enjoyment of” many objectives, including “the best possible physical and mental health . . . without regard to economic status.”
At each of the 13 program sites in our service area, chefs, kitchen helpers and delivery drivers will tell you how their own well-being is positively impacted by contributing to the effort. It’s a community win for all of us.
And, there are more forces at work than a person might realize to getting out locally produced meals: a volunteer picks up a bakery donation from Panera or Hannaford, a chef receives gleaned produce from Willing Hands, Salvation Farms, or Community Harvest of Central Vermont, or a program director depends on another site when their own operations shut down temporarily due to electrical or plumbing problems.
If you believe in this essential service that keeps our communities alive, please attend a lunch at your local meal program, make a donation, or get involved and give your time. We need you!
Find out how you can lend a hand at volunteer@cvcoa.org and learn when your local community lunch is at cvcoa.org/nutrition-programs.
Older adults (age 60+) can call CVCOA’s Helpline (1-800-642-5119) to determine eligibility and enroll in home-delivered meals.
With offices in Barre, Morrisville and Randolph, Central Vermont Council on Aging supports older Central Vermonters to age with dignity and choice in 54 towns.
Leanne Hoppe
Central Vermont Council on Aging
lhoppe@cvcoa.org