VNA Meals on Wheels

One in six Dallas County seniors struggles with hunger.

What We Do

VNA Meals on Wheels provides nutritious, hot, home-delivered meals five days a week to those who due to illness, advanced age or disability are unable to obtain or prepare their own meals. VNA serves the hidden hungry—homebound, aging and unable to access resources like food pantries and grocery stores.

The purpose of VNA Meals on Wheels is to nourish the whole person.

Meals on Wheels: What We Do
Meals on Wheels: Our Goals

Our Goals

The program fulfills a basic food need in the community and enables seniors to age with dignity in their homes. Our goals are to improve nutrition and to provide social contact, thereby decreasing medical costs associated with malnutrition, dehydration and isolation.

In 2022, VNA hired four Community Health Workers to better serve our Meals on Wheels clients and connect more with our community. These dedicated professionals are charged with:

  • Conducting in-home assessments of clients
  • Connecting clients with a higher level of care if needed
  • Referring clients to other resources to help them safely age in place
  • Attend community events to share more about VNA and sign-up neighbors who may need our services

The Problem

Preventable Causes

44%-76% of hospital readmissions are preventable.

High Readmissions

30-day hospital readmissions are 50% higher for patients diagnosed with malnutrition.

Health Impact

80% of health outcomes occur outside of a clinical environment.

The Solution

Provide nutritious meals, vital social contact, and a daily safety check to high-risk patients

Immediately report patient concerns back to health care system

Results to Date

Fewer ER Visits

71% reduction in ER visits for participating patients

Fewer Readmissions

96% decline in unintended hospital readmissions

*The above data are the results from a partnership with a local hospital system.

Thank you to our healthcare partners for your collaboration to improve nutrition and health for our homebound seniors.

Current Statistics

1.2 Million Meals

Last year, more than 1.2 million home-delivered meals were prepared in VNA’s kitchen for homebound seniors in Dallas County and another 2,000 were served daily at various senior centers.

Food Insecurity

According to the Aging Services Network, food insecure seniors are 50% more likely to have diabetes, three times more likely to suffer from depression, 60% more likely to have a heart attack, and two times as likely to report asthma.

$10.4M Saved

Based on a PwC impact study, VNA Meals on Wheels saves an estimated $10.4 million annually in health costs collectively across 4,700 clients analyzed. In the same study, our clients reported a 25% reduction in feelings of isolation and loneliness as compared with those not receiving meals.

VNA Meals on Wheels facilitates client referral needs by partnering with agencies including but not limited to: Adult Protective Services, the Dallas Area Agency on Aging, The Senior Source, and Texas Health and Human Services.

Please note VNA Meals on Wheels provides service for Dallas County residents only.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Be over the age of 60 or disabled
  • Be unable to drive or leave home without assistance
  • Have limited financial resources
  • Live in Dallas County

If you have a patient who can benefit from VNA Meals on Wheels, please contact us for assistance.

For Questions or a Consultation

Refer a Patient

A list of surrounding Meals on Wheels locations outside of Dallas County are provided below. Additional Meals on Wheels locations may also be found by visiting www.MOWAA.org.

Texas
844-489-6325
Collin County
972-562-6996
Denton County (Lewisville, The Colony)
940-382-2224
Ellis County (Ennis, Ferris)
972-351-9943
Forney County
972-564-7348
Johnson County
817-558-2840
Kaufman County
972-563-7960
Kaufman County (Forney, Crandall)
972-564-7348
Metro Port Area (Grapevine, Roanoke, Keller)
817-491-1141
Navarro County
903-641-0166
Rockwall County
972-771-9514
Smith County (Tyler)
903-593-7385
Tarrant County
817-336-0912
Terrell County
972-563-7960
Tyler County
903-593-738
Van Zandt County (Canton)
903-593-7385
Wylie County
972-824-0001
Jewish Family Services-Kosher Meals
972-437-9950
(Dallas/Denton)
972-437-9950

VNA Meals on Wheels
Community Care Check

The focus of VNA Meals on Wheels Community Care Check is to address the unmet clinical needs of our Meals on Wheels population to help them age safely at home.

Meals on Wheels community check

What We Do

Our care team contacts high-risk Meals on Wheels clients and screen them for essential health care needs including social work interventions, home health, hospice or palliative care. Any identified needs are discussed with the client and their current provider to best coordinate care. For more information about health care partnerships, please contact Jennifer Austin at (214) 689-2265.

Meals on Wheels Provider Partners

For more information on Meals on Wheels partnerships, contact Jennifer Atwood Austin at 214-689-2265 or jennifer.austin@vnatexas.org.