Meals on Heels began in 1986, when three of our Deacons discovered that a number of homebound, elderly neighbors of the church were receiving Meals on Wheels Monday through Friday, but nothing at all on the weekends. The Deacons immediately recognized a new service opportunity for the church.

The meals were simple at first: sandwiches, carrot sticks and a dessert. Now the program has expanded to include a hot, nutritious main course, homemade dessert, and rolls made from scratch. On average we feed 55 to 60 homebound seniors from the Upper East Side to Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village and the West Village.

If you would like to support our ministry, go to fapc.org/give and choose the fund “Meals on Heels.” Thank you for your generosity.

Volunteers are the bread and butter of Meals on Heels. Pun intended!

Every Saturday morning (holidays included), a core group of dedicated volunteers gathers in Bonnell Hall at 8:30 am to prepare and cook the two-course meal. Then they pack the food up for delivery. A second team of volunteers delivers the meals to our neighbors throughout the city.

Delivery volunteers arrive at the church house at 11 am to check in and get their delivery assignments. Most volunteers are en route by 11:30 am and generally finish their deliveries by 1 pm. While many recipients live within walking distance, some deliveries require volunteers to use public or private transportation.

All volunteers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. We also ask our delivery volunteers to wear masks, practice social distancing and abide by CDC guidelines for protecting themselves and others. We will continue to revisit this protocol as Covid-19 persists.

If you are interested in volunteering with Meals on Heels, please contact John Wyatt ([email protected]).

Thank you for being a part of this ministry in service to our elderly and homebound neighbors!