Despite delivering more than 650,000 meals in 2025, Meals on Wheels (MOW) service providers throughout the Central Florida region were unable to meet the growing demand of seniors needing this vital program.
The Osceola Council on Aging (OCOA) alone delivered 125,000 of those 650,000 meals, or nearly 20% of the region’s total, “though we still have a waitlist of more than 310 seniors awaiting MOW services,” said Rob Gilts, OCOA senior compliance officer.
Comparably, 340 seniors are on the waitlist in Seminole County and 280 in Brevard County. According to Seniors First, the team that oversees the program for Orange County, 250 of their seniors are waiting to be served by the program.
In Central Florida, MOW providers in Orange, Seminole, Brevard and Osceola counties operate collectively as one planning and service area, known as PSA 7.
“While each county manages its own operations, the shared challenge across the region is the same; demand continues to outpace available resources,” said Karla Radka, president and CEO of the Senior Resource Alliance Orlando office.
“Seniors living in each of these counties live on low, monthly incomes. As the cost of living increases, seniors on fixed earnings are impacted, and why waiting lists continue to increase across the region,” added Gilts.
MOW programs support 5,000 communities in the United States, serving nearly 2 million meals. The program not only provides nutrition for homebound seniors but helps mitigate elderly isolation and food insecurity, serves as a safety check and helps seniors stay independent in their homes.
Based on a recent study by Meals on Wheels America, nearly 46,000 seniors are on waitlists across the United States, with the largest of those numbers residing in the states of Texas, Georgia, the Carolinas and Florida. The average wait time is four months, though seniors in more rural areas have been required to wait for as long as two years.
So, why the lengthy waitlists? According to MOW America, as the nation’s senior population grows, so does the increased need for services. Further, there are funding shortfalls. More than 80% of community-based MOW providers say a lack of sustainable funding is why the waitlists exist and continue to compound.
Other reasons include staffing and volunteer shortages. “Recruiting volunteers is an ongoing challenge that limits capacity of meal preparation and delivery, along with infrastructure constraints,” Gilts added. A lack of kitchen space, aging delivery vehicles, and in certain cases, antiquated technology limits the providers’ ability to meet the consistent growth, both locally and nationally.
To help support those shortfalls, each year communities across the U,S, host their annual March for Meals fundraisers. These popular events bring awareness to many of these challenges mentioned, with the most important message being that seniors in this country do in fact face hunger, isolation and food insecurities.
“End the Wait” is this year’s theme, with the goals of securing increased volunteer support, donations and additional funding to ensure all seniors can be accepted to the MOW program.
“March is an important time for us to ensure that Meals on Wheels is there for our senior neighbors in need,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “Together, we can end silent nights for seniors, replacing malnutrition and isolation with nourishment and a sense of belonging.”
Wendy Coschignano-Ford is the president and CEO of the Osceola Council on Aging.
The 21st Annual March for Meals St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run is set for Saturday, March 14, at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. For more information: www.osceolagenerations.org or 407-846-8532.
