Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels (HMoW) helps kūpuna and individuals with disabilities preserve their independence at home by providing nutritious meals, connection and community. Hawaiʻi Meals on Wheels was founded in 1979 to provide a hot home-delivered meal service for frail elderly and disabled persons who were unable to cook or shop for themselves and did not have access to help for these essential functions. We are a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded by former State of Hawaiʻi librarian Irmgard Hörmann and the Social Ministries Committee of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. She spearheaded the formation of a committee representing different denominations and several Honolulu churches to provide a basic nutritional and human support system for their isolated, disabled, and frail elderly neighbors. Clement, Unitarian Church of Honolulu, First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church. The service began with two small routes in Makiki and Moʻiliʻili, six clients, six volunteers and $25. In 2016, Hawaiʻi Meals on Wheels served more than 97,000 meals with about 450 volunteers. In 2023, HMoW served over 180,000 meals, delivering more than 700 meals per day. Hawaiʻi Meals on Wheels continues to grow in response to an increasing need for hot, nutritious, home-delivered meals, human connection, and wellness checks.
