Coal Creek Meals on Wheels | Apparel Fundraiser 2024

Story

The mission of Coal Creek Meals on Wheels (CCMOW) is to support independence and quality of life for Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, and Superior residents by providing nutritious meals and social contact. CCMOW has been connecting neighbors with neighbors since 1972, when the organization was established to provide made from scratch meals to food insecure Lafayette residents. 

In 2015, CCMOW moved from its original location, the First United Methodist Church of Lafayette, to Josephine Commons, a Boulder County Housing Authority residence for low-income older adults ages 60+. Since relocating to this larger facility, CCMOW’s capacity has increased substantially, expanding its programming beyond Lafayette to serve over 40,000 meals annually to clients living in Louisville, Erie, and Superior. CCMOW serves anyone in need of a daily, nutritious meal regardless of their age, income level, ability to pay, and documentation status.

2023 saw the highest number of meals served in any period ever in CCMOW’s recorded history. By the end of the year, we had served 61,287 meals - a 51% percent increase from 2022. This trend of increased need has continued into 2024, serving nearly 6,000 meals each month. 

Meal Delivery Program

We deliver hot, fresh, nutritious meals every weekday directly to your home in the communities of Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, and Erie. Our delicious meals are made from scratch daily by our talented culinary staff and can be customized to meet your special dietary needs. We serve anyone in need of a hot meal and daily well-check regardless of age or income. We also offer a Grab and Go Meal station at the Lafayette Public Library where anyone can get a meal for free.

Project Homecoming

CCMOW provides five free meals to anyone transitioning home from the hospital after a surgery or stay, supporting quicker recovery by providing nutritious meals and a daily well visit from a volunteer.

 Coal Creek Cafe 

The Coal Creek Cafe is our onsite Congregate Meal Program. Monday through Friday, CCMOW provides onsite meals in a congregate cafe-style setting, to older adults at Josephine Commons. This program provides high-quality, nutrient-dense meals for diners as well as essential daily social interaction between Josephine Commons residents, members from the community, and the CCMOW staff and volunteers.

Plates for Pets

Plates for Pets is CCMOW’s pet food delivery program made possible through a partnership with Colorado Pet Pantry and a grant from PetSmart Charities. Through this program, CCMOW provides food to clients’ pets (dogs, cats, fish, and rodents) along with their own delivered meal. It has been demonstrated that pets reduce stress, lower blood pressure, increase social interaction, promote physical activity, and can reduce feelings of depression and loneliness. The program helps ensure that our homebound clients are not forced to give up their pets because of an inability to feed them.

Addressing Isolation

In 2024, Coal Creek Meals on Wheels started two new initiatives to address loneliness and isolation among our clients. Our Book Club meets monthly at Jospehine Commons and provides clients with all of the supplies necessary to participate. The group selects the book to read for the month and then gathers together in-person to discuss. The group is faciliated by a volunteer. The Buddy Program pairs clients who are at high risk for social isolation (or those who self select into the program) with a volunteer to meet at least twice per month outside of their regular meal deliveries. "Buddies" often get together to chat, play games, read, or just spend quality time together. 

Client Stories

Gerald, 73, has been a CCMOW client for over 6 months. He first discovered CCMOW through a family member who was helping him access meals after losing his wife, who was his primary caretaker. Gerald had recently been in a car accident which left him unable to use his legs, so he was in need of assistance with basic essentials. When delivering a meal to Gerald, a CCMOW volunteer found him alone in his home, surrounded by waste, and incredibly hungry. He hadn’t been able to get out of bed, and his last meal was the lunch that had been delivered by CCMOW the day before. Gerald shared that someone was supposed to check on him and bring him dinner the night before, but never came. After that visit, the volunteer contacted CCMOW to inform us about Gerald’s circumstances. Our Client Services Manager quickly began working with Gerald’s social worker, connecting him with a new caretaker and improving his daily life. Gerald is now happier and feels more comfortable and supported in his home.

Mary, 65, is a Coal Creek Meals on Wheels client who lives in a mobile home park in Lafayette. She is single and lives alone on a very small income. Once, when a meal delivery volunteer arrived at her door, Mary invited her inside, and the volunteer immediately noticed that her roof was caving in and being held up with a 2x4. Mary had never mentioned this issue previously. "I knew about a program through the Lafayette Senior Center where they offer a certain amount of money towards home repairs," Emma said. We were able to connect Mary with someone from the Senior Center, and she was able to fix her roof before the first snow of the season.

Each weekday, a CCMOW volunteer knocks on MJ’s front door saying “Coal Creek Meals on Wheels!” to let her know her meal has arrived. MJ, 101, has lived in her Erie home for 22 years and has been a CCMOW client since 2014. She first learned about CCMOW when her daughter, Pat, was working at the local Chamber of Commerce and shared the organization’s contact information with her. That’s when MJ called CCMOW and started receiving home-delivered meals. “Receiving meals gives me the opportunity to remain in my own home, which is extremely important to me. I have my independence and health because of Meals on Wheels,” MJ said. Over the years, Pat has seen the significant impact that CCMOW’s has had on her own mother’s life. “My mom is more relaxed because she does not have to worry about cooking. Grocery shopping was becoming difficult. She is happier, healthy and living independently at home.”