Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County, a beacon of hope since its founding in 1975, delivers more than 56,800 meals each year to recipients in Hamilton County. The organization’s support for individuals who are elderly, disabled, chronically ill and homebound is not just about providing nutritious meals. It’s about reducing hunger, improving health and promoting independence.
They serve over 200 meals daily including breakfasts, freezer meals, cold lunches and hot meals. Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County will celebrate its 50th anniversary in January 2025, a testament to the profound impact it has had on the community.
“In the last few years we’ve seen more of our recipients need financial assistance,” says Beth Gelhausen, executive director. “While the number of people we’re serving hasn’t necessarily gone up, the amount of food people are needing has risen by nearly 21% over the last two years.”
In honor of its 50th anniversary, the Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County team will host two significant fundraisers. The first is the Al Haimbach Memorial Golf Classic on June 9 at Chatham Hills in Westfield. The 11th annual Dancing With Our Stars will be September 4 at the Embassy Suites in Noblesville. These events are not just about celebration, but also raising crucial funds to continue the mission. The organization is currently seeking dancers for the event. Professional dancers are paired with some of Hamilton County’s most well-known members, and they will compete to be named Dancing With Our Stars champions for 2025. Audience members also can vote for their favorite dancer or dancers to win the night’s People’s Choice Award.
“For our 50th year we’re trying to meet a fundraising goal in addition to what we normally do,” Gelhausen says. “We’re looking for either 50 individuals, groups or entities as $1,000 so we can raise an additional $50,000 in 2025 to help celebrate our anniversary.”
Unlike other counties, the organization relies heavily on volunteers to deliver its meals. Volunteers also participate in an initiative called Visiting Volunteers to spend time with socially isolated clients. Gelhausen says they try to pair volunteers with participants who have similar interests. The nonprofit is always seeking volunteers to serve on various board committees such as fundraising.
“Many times our clients wish to live independently but don’t always have someone checking on them regularly,” Gelhausen says. “Sometimes our volunteers have encountered someone who has fallen or needs medical assistance. Sometimes they’re just there to brighten their day.”
Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County is always looking for fresh ways to stay relevant when so many people have food delivered through services like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Gelhausen says one advantage to using Meals on Wheels is that the meals are medically tailored for each individual’s needs, such as diabetic, heart-healthy, low-fat/low-cholesterol, or renal diets for dialysis patients.
“We are just so thrilled to be able to say we have been able to serve the community for the last 50 years,” Gelhausen says. “We’re really, truly making a difference in the lives of our senior and disabled neighbors who are struggling with a physical and or mental challenge that is not allowing them to prepare their own hot, nutritious meals. During that time we’ve had extremely dedicated volunteers make an impact on our community. It’s a tremendous honor.”
