What If Meals on Wheels Didn’t Exist?

It’s hard to imagine Queensland without Meals on Wheels™. For nearly 70 years, our volunteers have been a familiar and reassuring presence in neighbourhoods across the state. Every weekday, they deliver not just a meal, but a moment of connection with a friendly chat, a check-in, a reminder that someone cares.

If Meals on Wheels™ didn’t exist, it’s not only the meals that would be missed. It’s the warmth at the doorstep, the gentle reassurance that someone will notice if things aren’t quite right. For many older Queenslanders, our service is the only human contact they might have in a day. Without it, too many would be left unseen and unsupported, isolated in their own homes, unsure where to turn for help.

The absence of Meals on Wheels™ would echo far beyond individual households. Our health and aged care systems would quickly feel the strain. Without regular visits to help people stay safe and well at home, more older people would be forced into hospital or residential care earlier than necessary. Rates of malnutrition and loneliness would rise, and the ripple effect would touch families, carers, and communities alike.

Meals on Wheels™ fills a gap that no single government program or commercial service could ever replace. Our model works because it’s grounded in community, powered by volunteers, supported by local kitchens, and built on relationships nurtured over generations. That’s why we believe Meals on Wheels™ is an essential community infrastructure, vital to the Queensland we know and love.

Volunteers are at the heart of our network. The 2024 State of Volunteering in Queensland report found that “52.3% of Queensland residents aged 65 and over contributed to their communities through volunteering … averaging 19.1 hours per month, or 111.1 million hours in the year.” What a remarkable contribution from Queensland seniors to the state economy. It is this generosity, along with that of their younger fellow volunteers, which keeps services like Meals on Wheels™ alive and thriving.

If Meals on Wheels™ didn’t exist, we would lose more than a service. We would lose a sense of connection, the quiet acts of care that bring communities together. Volunteers would lose a source of purpose, and older people would lose the confidence and dignity that come with living safely and independently in their own home.

Meals on Wheels™ is more than just a meal™. It is care, compassion, and community. It is part of the infrastructure that allows Queenslanders to live well, remain connected, and be seen. Without it, our communities would be colder, lonelier, and less connected. With it, we are reminded every day of what is possible when people look out for one another.

This message was written by Evan Hill, Chief Executive Officer of Meals on Wheels™ Queensland, reflecting on the vital role Meals on Wheels™ plays in the lives of Queenslanders every day.