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Portland Observer

Medically Tailored Meals Program

Meals on Wheels Gets Grant from Trillium Health

An inside look at how Meals on Wheels People’s congregate lunches serve up more than just food, providing older adults with a platform for connection, camaraderie, and community engagement


Meals on Wheels People (MOWP) is thrilled to announce the receipt of two grants from Trillium Community Health Plan (Trillium), totaling $1,745,057. This funding supports the delivery of medically tailored meals to individuals discharging from Adventist Health Portland and VA Portland Health Care System and eligible household family members. The funding will continue for three years.


Launched in 2021, the Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) program by Meals on Wheels People partners with health systems to ensure individuals who are at risk for food insecurity receive tailored meals to meet specific health care needs delivered right to their doorstep. Research published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal shows that medically tailored meals lead to fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations, savings on health care costs, and improved quality of life and ability to manage chronic disease.


Each year of the grant, over the course of three years, MOWP will serve two medically tailored meals a day for up to 120 days post-discharge to more than 400 patients and 100 additional family members. Meals are delivered weekly to the patient’s home by vetted and trained MOWP volunteers, helping to remove barriers to nutrition like limited mobility and transportation faced by many patients after leaving the hospital.


“Trillium is proud to partner with Meals on Wheels People to improve health outcomes by providing medically tailored meal services to individuals at risk for food insecurity and their families,” said Sarah Kelley Brewer, plan president and CEO of Trillium Community Health Plan. “Our organizations are committed to removing barriers to care, advancing equity, and connecting people to the services and community support they need to transform their health. Together we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of Oregonians.”


Added Meals on Wheels People CEO Suzanne Washington: “We are immensely grateful for Trillium’s generous support, which marks a significant milestone in our journey to combat food insecurity and enhance health outcomes. This funding allows us to not only continue but also expand our Medically Tailored Meals program, reaching more individuals in need. For the first time, we can extend our care to the families of our participants, acknowledging that health and well-being are deeply interconnected within households. This is a bold step forward in our mission to deliver not just meals but hope and health to our community.”

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