It's more than just a meal.

• Daily, fresh made, home delivered meals are available Monday through Friday.
• Offers a variety of hot and cold menu items including a main entree, soup, salad and dessert.
• Meals are ordered to meet special diets, allergies and personal preferences.
• Special therapeutic diets and texture modifications are available.
• Five week menu cycle rotation.
• Weekday meals are prepared by the staff at Spruce Lodge.
• Changes or cancellations can be made with appropriate notice.
• Clients benefit from social interaction with our friendly, caring and trained volunteers.
• Peace of mind for families as agency follows up with client absences.

Therapeutic diets include, but are not limited to:

• Cardiac: A diet designed for clients with congestive heart failure, this diet is restricted in both sodium and fat.
• Gluten-Free: A diet designed for clients with Celiac disease.
• Lactose-Free: A diet designed for clients who restrict milk and millk products in their diets.
• Gastic: A diet designed for clients with stomach problems usch as ulcers or hiatal hernia.
• No Added Salt: A diet designed for moderate sodium restriction. Intended for those with high blood pressure or renal disease. The "No Added Salt" diet allows some salt in preparation of foods, but excludes very salty foods.
• Modified Texture: This is a modification of consistency for people who have difficulty chewing or swallowing regular whole foods. Includes minced and pureed diets.
• Diabetic: A diet designed for clients placed by their physician on a diabetic diet.

The fee for hot meals is $7.75. Clients are billed at the end of each month.

Arrangements can be made to direct invoices to a third party (power of attorney, insurance company, family members etc.)

A subsidy program is availabe for qualified clients.

Eligibility for a reduced fee is based on client income reported on Line 150 of your Income Tax Return for the previous Income Tax year.  Subsidy MAY be available to clients requesting financial review dependent upon client income and the availability of agency subsidy funds.

Financial assistance may be available if you live alone and you income is below $18,260 or if you live with one other person and your combined income is below $22,731.

If you feel that you qualify for the subsidized rate please contact Cindy at extension 23 and she will arrange an appointment to view your current Income Tax Assessment and discuss your eligibility for a reduced rate.  If you do not have your Income Tax Assessment Form you can obtain a copy by calling Revenue Canada at 1-800-959-9281.

Generous donations from the United Way, volunteers, clients and other individuals in our community make it possible for Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services to offer this reduced fee.

Meals are delivered by volunteers who have been interviewed, trained and screened by the agency.

Meal delivery takes place Monday through Friday between the hours of 11:30 am and 1:00 pm.

We'd like to introduce you to "The Colonel"!

Hot, delicious and nutritious meals, may be our claim to fame but as client Colonel William Rankin can testify, there is often some resistance in a client's acceptance of the need for service.  "Veterans Affairs suggested, after I lost my beloved Wife, that I accept their offer of Meals on Wheels.  I resisted at first on the basis that I knew how to open a can of beans.  The Veterans Affairs Counselor convinced me to try the service.  I would now not want to be without it.  The meals are excellent and have my can of beans all beat to hell.  Meals on Wheels have been a great help in boosting my health and morale.  I am looking for a Lady who can cook but until she shows up I hope Meals on Wheels Volunteers will keep visiting me."  That's a mighty high ranking from a Colonel!   William adds, "The volunteers who deliver are an absolute delight.  I enjoy their company and have had a lot of good conversations.  I very much admire those people and am grateful to know them.  I can't emphasize too much how wonderful the volunteers are!  Having lived in Stratford for many years it's often a pleasant bonus to get reacquainted with familiar faces."

The Colonel has been receiving meals since 2005.