Celebrating Meals on Wheels

By Beth David, Editor

Coatline Elderly Services hosted a March for Meals event at the Fairhaven Council on Aging on 3/20/26, to celebrate Meals on Wheels program and the drivers and volun­teers who deliver the meals. The program delivers more than 1600 meals a day to elderly and disabled people in Greater New Bedford. 

Gerami Pacheco, Nutrition Program Director at Coastline, spoke to the group of town officials, elected officials, and volunteers.

“Today’s March for Meals event is to recognize the importance of this program in our community,” said Mr. Pacheco. “Meals on Wheels does not only just deliver a nutritious meal, but we also deliver a safety check. We deliver that compassion and that care  to our consumers throughout the community.”

He said that from the Fairhaven COA, about 300 meals go out, with 200  going to Fairhaven residents and 100 going to Acushnet. 

“Truly so blessed to have the staff that we have, our drivers, our volunteers, our COAs, and just our community partners,” said Mr. Pacheco and specifically thanked elected and town officials.

Zach Boyer, Planning Director at Coastline, gave a quick history of the program which started with the Older Americans Act in 1965. He said they are part of a national effort.

“Especially now with the federal focus and trying to make cuts, we have never been more mindful of trying to have the best value and the best nutrition for our older adults so we can demonstrate the vital importance of this program to not just you, but our consumers and all the other elected officials who help fund it with our state and federal partners and funding streams,” said Mr. Boyer, adding that addi­tional funding comes from a variety of other sources.

“So it takes many hands to make light work, and I’d like to close by thanking you for being one of those many hands today,” said Mr. Boyer.

Fairhaven COA director, Martha Reed, echoed Mr. Pacheco’s senti­ment that the meal delivery is more than a meal.

“From our point of view, often­times it’s the drivers that are seeing people for the first time, and sometimes that’s the only person they see and interact with each day,” said Ms. Reed. “So the importance of that program helps when they identify an issue or they get to know the clients very well, they can tell when something’s wrong and oftentimes can alert us to an issue.”

She told the story of a man whose grandson moved in with him because he was alone. The driver alerted the COA and they were able to get him some needed services.

“So the importance of this program, I cannot more strongly advocate to keep this program moving,” she said. “We serve about 30 congregate lunches here every day, it’s cafe style, and it’s just nice for people to be able to come together and socialize, and that helps alleviate loneliness. And that’s a very large problem in older Americans.”

State Rep. Mark Sylvia also addressed the group, saying it was a “true partnership” between Coastline and Fairhaven. 

“I think, as has been said by the other speakers, food security is a big challenge here on the South Coast, particularly for our most vulnerable population,” said Mr. Sylvia. “And for us to come together at this event and for Coastline and the town and the volunteers and the staff to be out there, not only providing nutritious meals, but as Martha said, to connect with people, to have that one-on-one interaction, to be able to identify when there may be other needs is such an important service.”

Learn more about Meals on Wheels on the Coastline website, https://coastlinenb.org/elderly-nutrition-program/ or call 508-999-6400 to sign up. A $3 voluntary donation is sug­gested, but no one is turned away due to inability to pay.

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Click here to download the 3/26/26 issue: 03-26-26 MealsOnWheels

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