Meals on Wheels America
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO EMPOWER LOCAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE SENIORS THEY SERVE SO THAT NO ONE IS LEFT HUNGRY OR ISOLATED.
- Income
- $47.6 million
- Spending
- $29.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 13.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 77
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $673,210, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 86% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $10.5 million spent. THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA STRATEGY AND IMPACT TEAM PROVIDES THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, RESEARCH AND DATA, INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AND TOOLS, AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO AID COMMUNITY-BASED SENIOR NUTRITION PROVIDERS - OUR MEMBERS - IN EXTENDING THEIR REACH AND IMPACT. THE TEAM LEVERAGES BEST PRACTICES AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED PROGRAMMING TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL PROVIDERS TO SERVE MORE SENIORS AND TO SERVE THEM IN INCREASINGLY EFFECTIVE WAYS. THE WORK ALSO INCLUDES EFFORTS TO FURTHER INTEGRATE MEALS ON WHEELS SERVICES INTO HEALTH CARE AND PREPARE LOCAL PROVIDERS TO ENTER THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE CONTRACTING WORK.IN 2025, MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ITS CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORTS BY DRIVING RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY FUNDING, TO MEMBERS. OUR FUNDING SUPPORTED CAPACITY BUILDING BROADLY AND SPECIFIC GRANTS FOR MEETING UNMET NEEDS OF CLIENTS, EXPANDING AVAILABILITY OF MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS SUITED TO THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS, INCREASING AVAILABILITY OF SOCIAL CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE ISOLATION AMONG HIGH-RISK OLDER ADULTS AND SUPPORT THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND, SUPPORTING IN-HOME SAFETY THROUGH MAJOR AND MINOR HOME REPAIRS, AND SUPPORTING RELIEF AND RECOVERY EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGENCIES. ALONGSIDE THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, WE PROVIDED MEMBERS WITH A ROBUST END THE WAIT ASSET LIBRARY FULL OF TEMPLATES AND RESOURCES TO HELP LOCAL PROVIDERS DRIVE GREATER ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, A SOCIAL CONNECTION TOOLKIT TO EQUIP PROVIDERS WITH PRACTICAL TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO FOSTER LIFE-CHANGING MOMENTS OF CONNECTION WITH SENIORS, A DATA TO ACTION TOOLKIT TO HELP PROVIDERS USE DATA AND RESEARCH MAKE THE CASE FOR SUPPORT TO VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS, AND ADDED RESOURCES TO OUR MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT MEMBERS IN THE PRODUCTION AND PROCUREMENT OF MEALS DESIGNED TO HELP ADDRESS MEDICAL CONDITIONS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE EXPANDED THE MORE (MEMBER OFFERS, REWARDS & EXPERTISE) PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS MEMBERS REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS AND INCREASE EFFICIENCY THROUGH DISCOUNTED PRICING, TRUSTED GUIDANCE AND REWARDS ON THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THEY USE MOST.IN ADDITION, THE STRATEGY AND IMPACT TEAM:-ENGAGED IN RESEARCH TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT AND VALUE THAT MEALS ON WHEELS HAS IN ADDRESSING HUNGER, MALNUTRITION, ISOLATION AND LONELINESS AMONG MILLIONS OF SENIORS EACH YEAR.-DEEPENED OUR INVESTMENT IN A RANGE OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT AUGMENT THE CORE NUTRITION COMPONENT OF THE MEALS ON WHEELS OFFERING THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE:1. THE HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS THE HELPING HOMEBOUND HEROES GRANT PROGRAM, ENABLED 20 PROVIDERS TO DELIVER NECESSARY HOME REPAIRS AND SAFETY MODIFICATIONS THAT HELP VETERAN SENIORS. IN 2025, WE CELEBRATED A MAJOR MILESTONE REPAIRING OUR 4,000TH VETERAN HOME.2. PETSMART CHARITIES, WHICH UNDERWROTE OUR NATIONAL COMMITMENT TO REDUCING ISOLATION AND LONELINESS BY ENSURING THAT SENIORS HAVE THE COMPANIONSHIP AND SUPPORT THEY DESERVE. THIS YEAR, WE CELEBRATED THE DELIVERY OF OUR 15 MILLIONTH PET MEAL THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, AND PETSMART CHARITIES RENEWED THEIR COMMITMENT FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS.3. CAESARS FOUNDATION POWERED GRANTS TO HELP 18 MEMBERS EXPAND NUTRITION AND SOCIAL CONNECTION PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORTED OUR FIRST-EVER COLLABORATIVE ACCELERATOR INITIATIVE, WORKING WITH SIX ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR SUSTAINABLE FUNDRAISING AND INFRASTRUCTURE LOCALLY.AS 11,000 AMERICANS TURN 60 EVERY DAY, THIS WORK SUPPORTS OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROVIDERS HAVE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR SERVICES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
- $5.8 million spent. THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN RAISING NATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE GROWING AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED CRISES OF SENIOR HUNGER AND ISOLATION. BY ELEVATING THE VISIBILITY AND DEMONSTRATING THE IMPACT OF MEALS ON WHEELS, THE TEAM HELPS DRIVE BROADER AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION OF SENIOR HUNGER AND ISOLATION AND THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES OUR NETWORK PROVIDES TO VULNERABLE OLDER ADULTS.TO ACHIEVE THIS, THE TEAM STRATEGICALLY STRENGTHENS AND AMPLIFIES THE MEALS ON WHEELS BRAND NATIONWIDE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF CAMPAIGNS AS PART OF THE END THE WAIT PLATFORM, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, STRATEGIC USE OF OUR OWNED PLATFORMS ACROSS EMAIL, WEBSITE AND SOCIAL, TARGETED PAID AND DONATED MEDIA, AND WORKING WITH CELEBRITY AMBASSADORS TO AMPLIFY OUR MISSION AND REACH NEW AUDIENCES. THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO INSPIRE ACTION FROM INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND POLICYMAKERS TO ENSURE THAT NO SENIOR IS FORGOTTEN.IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC-FACING CAMPAIGNS, THE TEAM PROVIDES ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT TO THE ORGANIZATION'S STRATEGY AND IMPACT, MEMBER SERVICES, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THIS WORK ENSURES THAT OUR NATIONAL NETWORK REMAINS INFORMED, ENGAGED, EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE AND EFFECTIVE FUTURE FOR AMERICA'S OLDER ADULTS.
- $3.6 million spent. THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA MEMBERSHIP AND ADVOCACY TEAMS PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO OUR MEMBERSHIP OF COMMUNITY-BASED MEALS ON WHEELS PROVIDERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. THIS INCLUDES FEDERAL AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS ENSURING MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF AND ENGAGED IN ALL THE PROGRAM AND CAPACITY-BUILDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT WE PROVIDE.THE MEMBERSHIP TEAM RECRUITS AND RETAINS MEMBERS, ENSURES MEMBERS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR INITIATIVES AND OFFERINGS, AND PROVIDES RELEVANT INFORMATION, LEARNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT THE NETWORK. ADDITIONALLY, THEY WORK ACROSS THE MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE ALL MEMBER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED, STRATEGIC AND TIMELY. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OFFERINGS RANGE FROM VIRTUAL WEBINARS, SYMPOSIUMS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS TO A PEER-TO-PEER ONLINE FORUM, AND THE FOUR-DAY ANNUAL GATHERING OF SENIOR NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS EACH AUGUST.THE ADVOCACY TEAM RESPONDS TO THE NEEDS OF OUR MEMBERSHIP AND THE SENIORS THEY SERVE TO SET ANNUAL FEDERAL POLICY PRIORITIES, CREATE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT MEMBER ADVOCACY EFFORTS, SHARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT AROUND EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE POLICY MATTERS, AND LEAD DIRECT FEDERAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF FUNDING AND POLICIES THAT ADDRESS SENIOR HUNGER AND SOCIAL ISOLATION ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERSHIP. WE EDUCATE THE ADMINISTRATION AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF ABOUT THE CRITICAL ASSISTANCE DELIVERED BY LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROVIDERS AND WORK TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND ACCESS TO HOME-DELIVERED AND CONGREGATE SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAMS, INCREASE FEDERAL FUNDING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A RAPIDLY GROWING SENIOR POPULATION AND RISING COSTS, AND BETTER SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS AND CHARITABLE GIVING THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE WORK OF OUR NETWORK. THE ADVOCACY TEAM HAS ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR AGING NETWORK PARTNERS, THE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES TO IMPROVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FEDERAL POLICIES AND MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT OF CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THE OLDER ADULT POPULATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1976.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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