Meals on Wheels, 55 years in Redlands

Hidden behind First Methodist Church in downtown Redlands operates one of the city’s oldest and most stable nonprofit organizations: Meals on Wheels. This July, the organization celebrated 55 years of service.

Each day, a crew of 28 volunteers drives four different routes across Redlands, delivering a hot meal and a cold bag of food to residents in need.

Redlands Meals on Wheels began on July 20, 1970, at Redlands Presbyterian Church under the leadership of its first president, Gertrude Hagum. At the time, food was prepared by Griswold’s Restaurant, near the Interstate 10 off-ramp at Ford Street, and meals were delivered to just four clients.

Since then, several other locations hosted the organization including, Lincoln Elementary School, now Orangewood High School, the old Salvation Army building on Alta St. and Joslyn Senior Center.

In 1993, Meals on Wheels partnered with the County Family Service, which had meals prepared at the Senior Nutrition Center in Yucaipa. The recorded cost of meals was $2.00.

When the County wanted to restrict their clientele and have records of clients’ age and income, Redlands Meals on Wheels went solo.

“We felt this would infringe on our clients’ privacy and limit the clients we could serve,” described historian Karen Flippin in the organization’s historical notes.

“Our new requirements to receive meals were, you had to live in the city limits of Redlands and need the nutrition.” To this day those are the only two requirements.

Food came from catering business Partners Pantry on Eureka Street, which moved to Oak Glen, so the organization went back to Yucaipa from 2008 to 2011. Since then they have partnered up with the kitchen of Plymouth Village.

There are a total of 41 clients today. Special dietary meals have been prepared at Redlands Community Hospital since October 1970, an additional 8 clients receive their meals from there.

The pandemic didn’t deter Redlands Meals on Wheels, they asked clients to put tables outside, wore masks and kept a 6 feet distance.

When Jocelyn Senior Center began remodeling in 2020, the organization moved to its current location at the First Methodist Church, a location with better parking for volunteers and delivery.

“Redlands Meals on Wheels is not affiliated with the national Meals on Wheels,” said Gregory Romer, vice president of Redlands Meals on Wheels. “Everything we do, and the donations we get, is all from the local community.”

The majority of clients receiving food pay the current rate of $6.00 per meal, a small percentage get subsidized meals and only pay $2.00.

As a private, volunteer run organization donations are paramount. Stater Bros. Markets, Knights of the Round Table and the First Congregational Church are the organization's major donors, the rest comes from individual contributions.

Because they accept anyone with a need, a younger person with a disability or sickness could be eligible. “Typically, they are homebound,” said Romer, and not all of them are low-income.

On the day Community Forward Redlands joined Meals on Wheels, volunteers delivered a hot meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables, along with a cold bag containing milk, applesauce and a cookie.

The daughter of 102-year-old client Sara Mercado opens the door to receive the meal. “We love Meals on Wheels — it helps us care for our mom,” she said. “It’s like the everlasting soup.”

Most of the 60 volunteers in the rotating schedule are seniors. Volunteers are not only food deliverers but also a personal contact, a bright point in someone’s day, and sometimes they help in case of emergencies.

If a person doesn’t answer their phone, the volunteer will call the client’s number first, then try the door.

“If it’s unlocked, we do go in and check the house,” said Karen Flippin, the coordinator who has volunteered for 30 years. “Sometimes we find people who have fallen. We found one lady that was between the wall and her bed. We found a gentleman who had passed in his bed,” she added. “That is part of our service. We are not just delivering meals; we are making sure they are okay.”

Because of these kinds of situations, volunteers always travel in pairs.

“I like to spend a little bit of time with the people and have met a few interesting people along the way,” said John Lackner, a seven-year volunteer. One client gave up his law career to take care of his brother, who was in a boating accident and became fully disabled.

Client James Wheelock has received meals for the past three years after being hospitalized.

“I thought I would be less able to take care of myself, so I signed up for them. I enjoy the meals, good, healthy food,” he said. Sometimes when Lackner and Romer deliver food, Wheelock is playing the piano. “He is quite an accomplished piano player,” said Lackner.

About Meals on Wheels in Redlands

Redlands Meals on Wheels Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing low-cost, home-delivered meals to qualified residents. The organization is currently accepting new clients and welcomes more volunteers.

For information on applying for meal delivery or becoming a volunteer, call (909) 792-0716.