VNA Meals on Wheels

More than a meal.

Overview of the Program

VNA Meals on Wheels provides hot, nutritious, freshly prepared meals five days a week to Dallas County residents who cannot obtain or prepare meals for themselves due to illness, advanced age or disability. These meals contribute to the overall health and well-being of participating seniors, including those with chronic illnesses and frail seniors who are homebound.

How It Works

VNA Meals on Wheels is funded by state agencies and private donations. Most of our clients do not pay for their meal service. If you would like to self-pay, it is $6.50 per meal. Our team delivers hot, nutritious meals Monday through Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Please see details regarding holiday closures in the FAQ section.

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How Meals on Wheels works
Who is eligible for Meals on Wheels

Who is Eligible?

In order to qualify for VNA Meals on Wheels, you must:

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

Service Areas

VNA Meals on Wheels is available for eligible clients throughout Dallas County.

Outside of Dallas County

Meals on Wheels service area

How to Apply

If you or a loved one would like to apply to receive meals through VNA’s Meals on Wheels program, please complete the VNA Meals on Wheels application form and return to VNA to begin the application process.

Once an application is submitted, one of our specialists will contact you. If your need is urgent, our specialists can assist you with identifying other resources that may help.

Submit PDF form via:

FAX: (214) 631-7554 or
EMAIL: getmeals@vnatexas.org

How to Refer

If you know of someone who could benefit from VNA Meals on Wheels support, you can refer them using the Referral Form either online or as a printed application.

Submit PDF form via:

FAX: (888) 975-1994 or
EMAIL: getmeals@vnatexas.org

If you have any questions about the program, please call
(214) 689-2639 or email gethelp@vnatexas.org

Community Health Program

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

Our CHW team truly helps VNA live out our mission to provides care to our community, enhancing health and well-being with compassion, dignity, and integrity.

Meals on Wheels pet care program

Pet Care Program

Pet ownership can be a tremendous benefit for the elderly, particularly for those who live alone. A pet can reduce stress, increase social interaction and alleviate feelings of loneliness. Still, pets require care, and some seniors need a little extra help to keep their animal companions happy and healthy.

Thanks to fundraising efforts, we are now able to deliver supplemental pet food once a month on weekends to a growing number of VNA Meals on Wheels clients who have a pet.

For more information about the Pet Care Program, contact Tracie Demery at tracie.demery-glover@vnatexas.org or call 214-689-2233. If you would like to help support the VNA Pet Care Program, you can purchase pet food through our Amazon Wish List.

FAQ

Prospective VNA Meals on Wheels clients must be either elderly (age 60 or older) or disabled and reside in Dallas County. There are several funding sources for VNA Meals on Wheels that have additional eligibility requirements. When a referral is made to VNA, our Case Coordinator will determine the funding source most likely to fit the prospective client.

Please call (214) 689-2639 or email getmeals@vnatexas.org for more information, or apply following the information on this website.

The timing of when meal deliveries start will vary depending upon how many clients we are serving and what funding resources are available. It is always our goal to begin meal service as soon as an applicant has been approved for support. You can always contact our intake specialist to check on the status of your application.

Email: getmeals@vnatexas.org or by phone: (214) 689-2639

Meals are delivered to our clients Monday through Friday between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., including Thanksgiving and Christmas (if the holiday falls on a weekday). The only days we do not have meal deliveries are the following:

  • New Year’s Day (January 1st)
  • Memorial Day (the last Monday in May)
  • Fourth of July/Independence Day
  • Labor Day (the first Monday in September)
  • The day after Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November)

A shelf-stable meal is delivered to our clients a few days before each of these holidays.

If freezing rain and/or snow is predicted, Meals on Wheels will make a collective decision by 11:00 p.m. on whether they believe it is best to cancel meal delivery for the next day.

Clients who have opted in for text message notifications from VNA will receive a text notifying them of cancellations. Additionally, notification is given to appropriate news and radio stations for a public service announcement of the meal program closure. We will also post closings on our Facebook and Instagram pages and Twitter feed.

Delivery will resume the following business day unless inclement weather continues. Clients are encouraged to eat one of their shelf stable meals when these situations arise.

Clients who have opted in for text message notifications from VNA will receive text messages related to a variety of updates and resources. Additionally, Meals on Wheels staff may contact clients for reassessment of program needs, various surveys and to provide other resources.

Our volunteers will provide you with important updates and information as needed with your meal delivery service each day. Updates are also always available online on our website and through our social media channels including Facebook and Instagram pages and Twitter feed.

If you need assistance, you may always contact our team at the office by phone or email.
Phone: (214) 689-2639
Email: gethelp@vnatexas.org

The VNA Meals on Wheels team is happy to assist you with any questions or to address any issues with your meal delivery service. Please be prepared with your information such as your full name and delivery address.

If you need assistance, you may always contact our team at the office by phone or email.
Phone: (214) 689-2639
Email: gethelp@vnatexas.org

It is very important to communicate any updates that may impact your meal delivery service needs including a move or change in your dietary requirements.

For assistance with these types of updates, you may contact our team by phone or email.
Phone: (214) 689-2639
Email: getmeals@vnatexas.org

Most VNA Meals on Wheels clients do not pay for their meal service. Fees for the service are supported by government and private sources.

If a client would like to sign up for a self-pay option, the fee is $6 per meal and the client may choose the number of meals he/she would like to receive each week.

VNA Meals on Wheels is funded by government and private sources.

Family members wanting updates regarding a loved one’s meal service would contact the VNA Meals on Wheels office at 214-689-2639.

VNA complies with all statutes, guidelines, laws, standards and regulations regarding food service and senior meals. As a food service provider, VNA is routinely audited and inspected by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Dallas Area Agency on Aging, Texas Department of Agriculture, Community Health Accreditation Program, and the City of Dallas Health and Environmental Services. VNA has a comprehensive program of monitors and controls to assure that the food products and prepared foods are handled appropriately from the time it arrives from the prime vendor to the unit, to delivering the meal to the participant.

Yes. You can view the list of Meals on Wheels providers listed in the Service Area section of this web page or visit the Meals on Wheels Association of America website for information about your local Meals on Wheels.

You can search for local programs here or by ZIP code through the Meals on Wheels Association of America at mealsonwheelsamerica.org

VNA Meals on Wheels cannot accept donated food. We can accept other in-kind donations to support our clients’ quality of life, including box fans, full-size toiletries, blankets and space heaters. Visit our Amazon wish list for needed items.

For inquiries, please contact Tracie Demery at tracie.demery-glover@vnatexas.org.

VNA always accepts donations of unopened cat and dog food for the VNA Pet Care Program. The easiest way to donate is through our Amazon Wish List which ships directly to VNA.

If you would like to donate, you may drop off your donation Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at:

VNA Haggerty Center
1440 W. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75247

Yes. Meals are delivered every Monday through Friday in the late morning hours throughout Dallas County. Some volunteers only deliver once a month, while others deliver occasionally as substitutes. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities that are flexible with your schedule on our VNA Meals on Wheels Volunteer Portal: https://volunteer.vnatexas.org/landing

Since 1934, the purpose of the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas (VNA) has been to provide the highest quality care in the home across North Texas, especially for those with no place to turn and no means to pay.

VNA was chartered as a nonprofit organization to address the desperate need for home health care in the midst of the Depression.

Since that time, VNA has added additional services including Meals on Wheels, Hospice Care, and Palliative Care to ensure the homebound, elderly and disabled in our community are cared for expertly and with compassion.

The Meals on Wheels Program in Dallas was organized in 1957 as a pilot project by the Women’s Council of Dallas County. It was one of the first Meals on Wheels programs in the United States. In 1973, VNA agreed to take over the service, viewing the Meals on Wheels program as a logical extension and advancement of the agency’s mission.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the program or application process, please contact:

getmeals@vnatexas.org

(214) 689-2639

Virginia

VNA Meals on Wheels Client

Testimonials

“It’s hard for me to sit home. I’ve always been real busy, but I can’t do all that anymore. I’m happy for the daily company, but it means more than that, too. I don’t have to worry, and it’s a big help to my boys to know I get a good meal. I get to see somebody every day. VNA Meals on Wheels is a real blessing to us all.”

Meals on Wheels Volunteer

Volunteer/Donate

It is a gift to serve, and a unique opportunity to directly help individuals in your community one meal at a time. A year of VNA Meals on Wheels for a homebound senior costs $2,015. For every route delivered by a volunteer, VNA can feed one senior for an entire week. Your time and contributions are a gift to the seniors we serve each day.