TULSA, Okla. — A local nonprofit celebrated the opening of its brand-new facility Thursday which will allow it to reach more people in need. Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers food to those who are elderly and homebound.
For some, it’s the difference between having a hot meal, or not having dinner at all. The facility is at 51st Street and Darlington near Yale across from LaFortune Park.
The President of Tulsa’s Meals on Wheels, Katie Oatsvall says the new facility was seven years in the making. The non-profit spent 30 years in its previous facility, so she said it was time for an upgrade. The new building is about 25,000 square feet and has a state-of-the-art kitchen where the meals will be prepared and packaged.
Oatsvall says this new building is a huge step forward for the organization.
“This facility is going to ensure that as a community we have no senior who is hungry, or lonely.”
Meals on Wheels aims to deliver one million meals a year from this new building. That is three times the number of meals provided from the previous one. The new facility also includes a volunteer training center.
Barbara Kannady has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer for 48 years. She says she initially started volunteering after her church got involved with the organization. She says she’s stuck around so long for the people.
“Just being with the people and helping," she says. “It's been amazing, I’ve enjoyed it.”
And the bonds she’s built.
“They become friends, and like family. They were glad to see you because they were homebound and a lot of them didn’t have families to visit with them."
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
