OCSP Funds in Action: East York Meals on Wheels
How the OCSP helped two community organizations come together to create a Halal Meals on Wheels program.
For over 36 years, East York Meals on Wheels has been delivering affordable and nutritious meals to seniors and adults with disabilities in the Thorncliffe community of Toronto. This summer, thanks to the Ontario Community Support Program and partnerships with neighbouring community organizations, they were able to add Halal meals to their offerings in a pilot program catered to their Muslim community-members.
East York Meals on Wheels is based in Thorncliffe Park, a 2.2 square kilometre neighbourhood in Toronto, with around 30,000 inhabitants housed largely between several dozen apartment buildings. Adriano Murarotto, Executive Director of East York Meals on Wheels explains, “The community here is a landing spot for a lot of newcomers, especially from the Pakistani area...and unfortunately, there's just many layers of barriers,” including limited settlement services, grocery stores, and transit options in the area.
Food insecurity in the community, worsened by the pandemic, prompted another Thorncliffe community support association, The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO), to set up a food collaborative, an impromptu food bank of sorts. Invited for a tour, Adriano was faced with a long line of people stretching through the parking lot, and across the plaza. “I thought originally ‘These people are lining up for their vaccines,’” Adriano remembers. But he quickly realized, “These people aren't here for vaccinations, people are here for food.”
The staff at TNO explained that, as many community members as there were in line, there were still others, mostly seniors and adults with disabilities, who weren’t physically able to get to the food collaborative or carry items home, and TNO didn’t have the infrastructure for delivery. Adriano said, “Well, this is a perfect match because we have infrastructure for delivery, via our volunteers, and we have a history of doing this and we may be in the same buildings during the day as the clients that you're serving.”
The TNO and East York Meals on Wheels worked quickly to put a pilot project together, teaming up with additional community organizations like Health Access Thorncliffe Park, who helped to connect the program with community members in need, and The Bike Brigade, a group of volunteer delivery cyclists, who were instrumental in getting the meals to the clients who needed them the most.
“The connections within the community have been wonderful,” Adriano says, noting that collaboration between organizations isn’t always so simple. “In this sector, we're so territorial about our catchment areas...that's sort of been the way that we’ve been funded. So it's what we know. But through this project, I've reached out to our bordering neighbors, agencies, and I told them about what we're doing. And they said, ‘Please, we welcome you to come into our catchment area...because we don't know what to do.’”
It wasn’t a matter of simply adding these new clients to their existing Meals on Wheels program though. A key demographic of the community is Muslim, meaning the meals needed to be Halal -- the dietary standard prescribed in the Qur’an, which requires paying attention to ingredients and how food is prepared. Adriano and his team got to work researching local Halal meal providers, participating in cultural training and food safety training from the Halal monitoring authority, and purchasing new storage and transport equipment to properly segregate the Halal meals from other meals, in part made possible by the OCSP.
“The OCSP has been key in starting this pilot up,” Adriano says, noting that the funding also helped with administrative costs to coordinate the new routes and volunteers, and with the subsidy of the meals, which was a huge relief to the folks receiving them. Many people admitted they were often skipping meals, were forced to choose between medication and food, or may have had to eat ‘haram’ (‘forbidden’ foods) simply because that’s all that was available to them.
“We learned a lot about our blind spots as an agency,” Adriano says, “Because we were, for so many years, serving the same types of meals on a very limited menu, and really not catering to this community that is at our doorsteps here.”
With 418 meals sent out in the first full month the program was operating (and that’s just for two days a week!) more people are already being served in their Halal program than their regular Meals on Wheels program. “I think if there's one thing that we can say, it’s that we're sad that we hadn't done this sooner, because it's a program well overdue,” Adriano says.
Due to the success of the pilot, it has been extended, with the intent of making it permanent. Clients are so grateful for the program that some of them are coming on as volunteers. “It was beautiful to see,” Adriano says, “Because the need was finally being connected with the resources.”
“Without the help from the OCSP, this program wouldn't have been possible,” Adriano says, “And we wouldn't have come out so wholesome from the pandemic, if it wasn't for the OCSA support, and the continuous advocacy that OCSA provides. It's a beautiful association, and we're honored to be part of it.”
East York Meals on Wheels is one of 136 community support service organizations who has received OCSP enhancement funding. Since May 2020, the program has provided over 1.3 million deliveries of food, medications and essentials that have helped seniors and people with disabilities stay safe during the pandemic. The OCSP program is funded by the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.
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Ontario, Canada — April 1, 2026 — The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society (Ontario SPCA) are launching a new partnership to support seniors and their pets by delivering pet food alongside Meals on Wheels deliveries. This collaboration brings together community support providers and animal welfare services to address a practical challenge faced by many older adults—accessing pet food due to limited mobility, fixed incomes, or transportation barriers. By leveraging existing Meals on Wheels routes, volunteers can now also deliver pet supplies donated by the Ontario SPCA during their regular visits. The initiative is being introduced through an initial pilot with a small group of participating providers, including Meals on Wheels Sudbury, and Meals on Wheels Cornwall, which has already completed its first pet food deliveries to local seniors. “Meals on Wheels programs do far more than deliver food, they are a vital connection point into the community,” said Lori Holloway, CEO of OCSA. “This partnership reflects how organizations can work together to respond to real, everyday challenges seniors face. It’s a practical example of how community-based care supports the whole person, not just clinical needs.” “Pets are family, and we know the positive impact they have on people’s mental and emotional health,” said Jennifer Bluhm, VP, Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “This partnership helps remove barriers so seniors can continue to enjoy the companionship of their pets.” The program is already making an impact at the community level, with local providers seeing firsthand how small supports can improve quality of life for clients. “Pets can play a powerful role in reducing the isolation many seniors experience,” said Tammi Lear, Executive Director, Meals on Wheels Sudbury. “Meals on Wheels Sudbury is excited to partner with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society to help keep our seniors healthy, connected, and able to remain in their homes with their pets.” “Meals on Wheels Cornwall is proud to be the first organization to pilot this program with the Ontario SPCA,” said Andree-Ann Morin, Meals on Wheels Coordinator, Glen Stor Dun Lodge. “This pilot program recognizes that food security doesn’t stop with the individual — it includes the pets who bring comfort and companionship. Thanks to the Ontario SPCA, we’ve already been able to help clients who were struggling with the cost, access, and special dietary needs of their pets. Even with just a few clients so far, we’ve seen how removing this worry can improve overall wellbeing.” Evidence shows that pets can reduce loneliness and support mental well-being among older adults. Small, practical supports like this can play an important role in maintaining health, preventing more complex needs over time, and improving client outcomes. This new partnership demonstrates the potential of cross-sector collaboration to better support seniors aging at home, while strengthening connections between health, community, and social supports. OCSA and the Ontario SPCA will continue working together to explore opportunities to expand the program with additional community partners across Ontario. Media Contact: Karla Sealy Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) karla.sealy@ocsa.on.ca 416-256-3010 / 1-800-267-6272 ext. 242 About the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) is the leading voice for home and community care in Ontario, representing hundreds of not-for-profit organizations delivering both home care and community support services across the province. OCSA members provide essential services including nursing, personal support and therapies; Meals on Wheels, transportation, caregiver supports, and other programs that help people remain safely in their homes and communities. Serving over one million Ontarians each year, OCSA works with government and system partners to advance integrated, community-based care as a cornerstone of a sustainable health system. About the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been operating for more than 150 years. The organization provides care, comfort, and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario, and works to keep pets and people together through a variety of community support services, education, and animal wellness initiatives.
Ontario, March 27, 2026 — The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) welcomes the Ontario government’s continued investment in home care and community support services as part of the 2026 provincial budget. Building on recent commitments, this investment signals a sustained shift toward strengthening care in the home and community as a central pillar of Ontario’s health system. As demand continues to grow—driven by an aging population, increasing caregiver strain, and sustained pressure across hospitals and long-term care—expanding access to care outside of institutions is critical to improving system flow and long term sustainability. “We are listening closely to what Ontarians are telling us—and so is the government,” said Lori Holloway, CEO of OCSA. “People want to receive care at home and in their communities, surrounded by the people and supports that matter most. This investment reflects that reality and moves us further toward a system designed around where people actually want and need care.” Home care and community support services each play distinct but complementary roles. Home care provides essential clinical and personal care in the home, while community support services focus on prevention, independence, and quality of life through programs such as Meals on Wheels, transportation, adult day programs, and caregiver respite. Together, they form the foundation of a modern, community-based care system that helps people remain at home longer while reducing avoidable hospital use and delaying or preventing long-term care placement. This level of sustained investment has the potential to significantly expand access to care at home, strengthen community capacity, and improve outcomes for individuals and families across the province—while supporting a more balanced and sustainable health system overall. OCSA is committed to working with government and system partners to ensure these investments translate into real improvements in access, stronger community supports, and measurable impact for Ontarians. About OCSA The Ontario Community Support Association represents more than 200 not-for-profit organizations providing home care and community support services across the province. OCSA members deliver essential services that help people live independently, age at home, and reduce pressure on hospitals and long-term care. For media inquiries please contact: Karla Sealy (she/her) Manager of Communications 416-256-3010/1-800-267-6272, ext 242 karla.sealy@ocsa.on.ca
Province-wide campaign highlights Meals on Wheels as essential to community care
