OUR STORY

Meals on Wheels of Sonoma was founded in 1974 by Jo Baker and Pidge Libby. In 1971, these two women were part of 8 local churches which were instrumental in establishing FISH (Friends In Sonoma Helping), another Sonoma Valley non-profit that was instituted to help with a variety of needs for Valley residents. Jo and Pidge's involvement with the charitable works of FISH helped them recognize an unmet need in the Valley. Jo and Pidge discovered that there were many homebound elderly residents who could use a helping hand with meals. Thus was born the idea to start a service whereby volunteers would cook meals and other volunteers would deliver the meals to people in their homes.

 

For nearly 50 years, a cadre of volunteer cooks has prepared and cooked 2 daily meals (a bagged lunch and a hot meal), then a fleet of volunteer drivers has delivered those meals to clients' homes. We know this 5-day per week meal preparation and delivery service that we offer affords our clients the ability to remain in their own homes longer than they might otherwise be able to stay as they age. This support to the people we serve has an immeasurable benefit to their well-being, and sometimes provides the lifeline they need to the outside world when there may not be a family member or caregiver who can offer frequent assistance.

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Meals on Wheels of Sonoma continues to serve the elderly and homebound of Sonoma Valley as tirelessly today as we did when we began our mission in 1974.