Meals on Wheels Central Texas

What Meals on Wheels Central Texas does

Meals on Wheels Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 in Austin, Texas, originally as United Action for the Elderly, Inc. and later operating as Meals on Wheels and More before adopting its current name. The organization operates from a Central Kitchen headquarters at 3227 East 5th Street in Austin and runs a portfolio of nine programs serving more than 5,000 older adults and individuals with disabilities across seven Central Texas counties (Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette, Lee, and Hays). Core service delivery centers on in-house preparation and daily delivery of 3,000+ hot meals to homebound seniors, supported by 18 congregate lunch centers in the Austin-metro area. Beyond meal delivery, the organization provides 240,000+ hours of professional in-home care per year, $3.6M+ in home repairs enabling safe aging in place, grocery delivery (Groceries to Go), pet support (PALS, serving ~900 client pets annually), nutrition assessment with three-month outcome rescreening, and an integrated Tele-BA (Telehealth Behavioral Activation) depression treatment plus fall-prevention program built in research partnership with the UT Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work.

The organization's operational backbone combines a paid staff of roughly 80 (organized into Neighbor Support, Volunteer, Distribution, and Congregate Services teams) with a force of more than 4,000 active volunteers. The technology stack is intentionally lean and human-centric — primarily video-conferencing for Tele-BA, an online donation platform, standard social media channels, and a content website — with no described AI/ML components, proprietary platform, or developer API. The notable technical differentiator is the Tele-BA program, in which bachelor's-level counselors deliver behavioral activation therapy for homebound clients aged 50+, clinically validated through university-led research.

The business model is a multi-channel nonprofit funding stack. Four primary revenue streams are reported: individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly), federal and state government grants, corporate and foundation support (e.g., St. Davids Foundation), and program service fees (in-home care at $35/hour, home-delivered meals valued at $12/day or $60/week, CARE packages). Pricing is communicated via standardized donor "gift tiers" rather than pure commercial billing. Distribution is entirely direct: volunteers deliver meals and conduct wellness checks in-home, congregate centers host group meals, and caregivers and home-repair crews travel to clients. The end customer is a long-tail base of 5,000+ individual beneficiaries; the institutional customer base comprises foundations, corporate volunteer partners, and government grant providers. The organization is an active member of the Meals on Wheels America national network and is governed by an independent Board of Directors with no parent company, no venture or private-equity ownership, and no disclosed external funding rounds.

Name

Meals on Wheels Central Texas

Legal name

Meals on Wheels Central Texas

Website

https://mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Meals on Wheels Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that delivers daily hot meals, in-home care, home repairs, grocery assistance, pet support, and telehealth depression treatment to over 5,000 homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities across seven Central Texas counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Nutrition and Meal Delivery Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Community Food Services (624210), Food Service Contractors (722310), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

akta.pro primary industry

Meal Preparation & Nutrition Support (Non-Medical) (HSABAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meals, Nutrition & Congregate Dining Day Programs (HSABANAM), Eating & Feeding Assistance (HSABABAE)

Keywords

• Meal delivery services
• Senior nutrition programs
• Home-delivered meals
• Congregate dining
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to address older adult hunger and isolation. Donations can be one-time or recurring monthly gifts.
2. Government Grants: Federal and state grants that support meal programs and operations. The organization began receiving grants within five years of founding in 1972 and has grown with grant support.
3. Corporate and Foundation Support: Corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and workplace giving programs from partners like St. Davids Foundation.
4. Program Service Fees: Fees for services including in-home care support, home repairs, and other CARE programs for qualifying neighbors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

No factual source content was provided in the input. Based on limited planning notes found in the input, the organization is described as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides meal delivery and additional services to seniors and people with disabilities across Central Texas.

Product overview

Meals on Wheels Central Texas operates as a multi-program non-profit lifeline for older adults and people with disabilities, offering a coordinated portfolio of services centered on nutrition and meal delivery. The core offering consists of Home Delivered Meals prepared in-house and delivered daily with safety checks, supplemented by Congregate Lunch Centers for group dining. The organization extends its 'More Than A Meal' approach through In-Home Care services (providing professional caregivers to prevent institutionalization), Home Repair programs, Groceries to Go, and the PALS pet support program. Health-focused offerings include Telehealth Treatment for Depression (video-conferenced behavioral activation therapy via partnership with UT Austin) and Fall Prevention programs. The organization serves over 5,000 neighbors across six Central Texas counties with more than 3,000 daily meals, powered by over 4,000 volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home-Delivered Meal Program Daily meal delivery to homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities across Central Texas.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of clients report being happier, healthier, and safer after beginning to receive Meals on Wheels
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Meals on Wheels AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing membership, resources, best practices, and brand affiliation for local Meals on Wheels programs across the country.
• Austin Founders Lions ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService club whose members volunteer at MOWCTX's Central Kitchen and deliver meals to homebound neighbors in need, especially during disruptions like the pandemic.
• Steve Hicks School of Social Work - University of Texas at AustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Dr. Namkee Choi's team for Telehealth Treatment for Depression program. The Steve Hicks School of Social Work provides clinical expertise and conducts randomized clinical trials to evaluate Tele-BA effectiveness for homebound older adults.
• Austin EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner whose employees (Dream Team) volunteer during lunch hours to deliver meals, connection, and care to homebound neighbors.
• Metz GO Project (Austin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent volunteer group from Austin that supports older adults in their community through service activities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AARP Foundation: National nonprofit operating programs addressing senior hunger, isolation, and economic security — including direct food distribution and advocacy. Broad incumbent with overlapping mission areas (senior hunger, isolation) though operating at very different scale and breadth.
• Meals on Wheels America: National membership organization for the Meals on Wheels network of which MOWCTX is a member. Provides brand standards, advocacy, and program resources to all local MOW affiliates. Directly comparable as the umbrella entity governing MOWCTX's branding and operating standards.

Emerging players

• Silver Cuisine by BistroMD: For-profit senior-focused meal delivery service portion-controlled for older adult dietary needs. Competes in the same senior-nutrition category but uses a national shipping/delivery model rather than volunteer-led local delivery.

Direct peers

• God's Love We Deliver: Nonprofit that cooks and home-delivers medically tailored meals to people living with serious illness in the NYC metropolitan area. Directly comparable nonprofit mission, hot-meal preparation, volunteer-driven delivery, and illness/disability-focused client base.
• Mom's Meals: Leading for-profit provider of home-delivered meals to seniors, Medicaid managed care plans, and post-acute populations. Direct competitor targeting the same senior nutrition category with scale and managed-care contracts.
• Project Angel Food: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing home-delivered meals and nutrition services to critically ill neighbors. Direct peer in mission, model, volunteer-powered delivery, and medically tailored nutrition offerings.

Regional players

• Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area: Government-designated Area Agency on Aging serving the same Central Texas region as MOWCTX. Comparable as a regional senior-services coordinator that overlaps on case management, in-home support, and congregate meals in overlapping counties.
• San Antonio Food Bank / Meals on Wheels of San Antonio: Regional Meals on Wheels affiliate and broader food-assistance program serving a different Texas metro. Comparable in operating model (meals-on-wheels delivery, in-home services, volunteers) but in a distinct geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MealsonWheelsCentralTexas
• Facebookfacebook.com/mealsonwheelscentraltexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meals-on-wheels-central-texas
• Instagraminstagram.com/mealsonwheelscentraltexas

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Meals on Wheels Central Texas