one by one®: Oakville Meals on Wheels
Oakville Meals on Wheels recently went back into the community to promote its mission following the pandemic. It was ideal timing to use a one by one grant to purchase a new tablecloth, one example of promotional materials for nonprofits, as well as giveaways like clips, pens and notepads. 
“The reception to our giveaway items has been great,” said Jacqueline Nadeau, program and communications manager. “A lot of our clients are older people, and many aren’t digitally savvy, so they appreciate having an item with our logo and contact information at their fingertips, so they don’t have to look for it online.”
More than just meals
The organization doesn’t serve just older adults in Oakville, Ontario. Its vision is that everyone has access to nutritious meals, regardless of age, ability, health, income or living circumstances. It currently delivers nutritious hot lunches and frozen meals Monday through Friday.
Oakville Meals on Wheels doesn’t receive government assistance, so it relies on community support agencies, grants, foundations and the community at large for donations, plus a team of 80 volunteers to deliver the meals. In addition to the nutritious food, another benefit is an informal wellness check that provides social interaction and peace of mind for families with loved ones who live alone.
“Our volunteers get to know their regular clients, so they notice if there’s a change. Or if the client doesn’t answer the door or phone, we call their family,” said Nadeau. “Our volunteers may be the only person the client sees all day. Especially during the pandemic, some families told us that our service was the only reason their mom got up or their dad got dressed that day.”
Promotional materials for nonprofits help with fundraising too
The latest challenge for Oakville Meals on Wheels is the rising cost of food and supplies to prepare the meals. It has had to raise meal prices twice in the last few years, which is unprecedented in its more than 45 years of existence. The need for subsidized meals has also tripled. So the organization is using the promotional materials it received to spread awareness about the need for more financial donations and its reliance on volunteers to deliver the meals.
Fortunately, during the pandemic, there was a good influx of younger volunteers who started working from home and had schedule flexibility, which helped offset older volunteers who couldn’t serve anymore. Working from home allows people to volunteer on days they’re not in the office.
A note from Cheryl
We love hearing that a one by one grant was used to purchase promotional materials for nonprofits to help spread awareness about an important mission. Oakville Meals on Wheels provides more than just nutritious meals—it also gives hope to those who can’t afford food or are experiencing loneliness. We’re glad to have played a role in aiding this organization. To learn more about a grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.ca.