Our History

A Brief History of Serving East York

Helping people with home-delivered meals is as old as neighbours. Before the organization of Meals on Wheels, elderly people, often against their will, had to seek haven in homes for the aged simply because they could not cook regular meals for themselves. Others ended up in hospital, largely due to malnutrition. This caused great strain on many institutions, caused great unhappiness and misery to thousands of people.

In early 1965, with support from the Laidlaw Foundation, St. Christopher House started the first Meals on Wheels program in Toronto. Later that year, St. Luke’s United Church started a unit. Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (now known as Circle of Care), inaugurated its Kosher Meals on Wheels service in 1966.

In the fall of 1968, two Leaside United Church women, Edna Beange and Luella Munro, felt there was a need for the service in the Borough of East York due in part to the high concentration of seniors. Using Leaside United Church as a base of operations, they began a campaign for volunteers, money, and equipment. Five area churches, Bethel Baptist, Leaside United, Leaside Presbyterian, Manor Road United, & Northlea United provided the needed financial and volunteer support from the outset. Donations to support the project were sought throughout the community, such as Sunnybrook Hospital cooperating in the project by providing meals at cost. The area served included East York, as well as the area between Bayview Avenue and Mount Pleasant.

The first Meals on Wheels delivery took place March 10, 1969, with delivery initially having been limited to Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. In 1972, the fledging program served 6,900 meals to clients in the local community. By 1974 numbers had grown sufficiently – 150 meals per week – that office space, paid staff and individually plated meals were needed. Sunnybrook kindly offered space and began to plate food into individual aluminum containers. From 1969 to 1975 the service covered all of East York and from Bayview Ave. to Mt. Pleasant Avenue.

In 1979, the Agency expanded its services to include Congregate Dining, otherwise known today as Diners’ Club. This program combines the nutritional aspect of Meals on Wheels with an opportunity to socialize and reduce isolation. Transportation is provided by volunteers.

In the late 1970′s the Agency established Telephone Reassurance Program. Initially this service was intended to provide a security check for Meals on Wheels clients on non-delivery days but has since expanded to serve all seniors and disabled persons in the former Borough of East York. Service is provided by volunteers.

In January 1984 Meals on Wheels service was expanded to six days a week, Sunday through Friday. The increased need for volunteers was critical as was re-organization within the office. Until 1988 we were the only agency providing service six days a week. In the 1990’s we added frozen meals to our delivery options. The agency was incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable corporation in 1986.

Since its establishment, East York Meals on Wheels has continuously sustained a high level of quality service to the residents of East York. We are committed to meeting the needs of this community now and into the future. These accomplishments are made possible through the combined efforts of a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, a professional staff and a small army of committed volunteers.

Together they make East York Meals on Wheels an agency providing service of which we can all be proud!