SOS Meals on Wheels is a non-profit organization dedicated to feeding homebound seniors in Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. Every weekday, about 550 warm, nutritious meals are delivered to seniors who are over 60 years of age and unable to purchase or prepare food for themselves. In addition to transporting the food, Meals on Wheels’ drivers provide daily check-ins for these most vulnerable elders, assistance with small tasks and remembrance on special occasions such as Christmas and Mother’s Day. If seniors need weekend food, they receive frozen meals and bag lunches at the end of the week. In fiscal year 2008, SOS Meals on Wheels delivered about 164,000 meals to over 1,100 seniors.
Located at 1435 Grove Way in Hayward, SOS Meals on Wheels was founded over 37 years ago by a compassionate community activist named Emma Vargas. She started preparing and delivering about 50 meals per day and her first cook was Georgia Seraphin. Today both of these women serve as Directors Emeritus of our SOS Board of Directors. As the population in central Alameda County increased, SOS Meals on Wheels has grown dramatically and continues to grow. Our mission is as follows:
“The primary function of SOS/Meals on Wheels is to deliver nutritious, balanced meals to homebound seniors. This service often allows seniors to live more independently and remain in their own homes.”
As Executive Director Connie McCabe says, “Our goal is to help seniors stay in their homes and remain healthy and happy for as long as possible. “