About Us

Our History

Back in 1968, the CEDA (Community and Economic Development Association) and a group of citizens of Cook County, Illinois noticed that many Evanston seniors were at risk of malnutrition because they were not able to cook or buy their own meals. This concerned group decided to do something about it, so they approached Sister Mary Alfreda Bracht, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Francis Hospital. She worked with the hospital’s kitchen to prepare meals that could be delivered to these seniors at home.

Volunteers were recruited, delivery routes were laid out, and Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois was born. The first deliveries went out in October 1968. Over the years, more residents and counties expressed the need for these prepared meal services. As our service area grew, so did the amount of volunteers we needed. From Wilmette to Winthrop Harbor and Lake Forest to Lincolnshire, our momentum just keeps growing.

WHO WE ARE

Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois is a powerhouse movement of neighbors volunteering to deliver fresh, healthy and delicious meals to those who are unable to prepare their own food at home. We serve older adults with our popular meals as well as people with physical or cognitive disabilities or who need help during a specific medical situation like recovering from surgery.

We also provide meal support for seniors on fixed incomes who are struggling to pay for housing, medicine, and food. In fact, we help 85-95% of our clients with reduced fees for our services.

We take our commitment as the premier provider of nourishment and support services to the older adult community seriously. Our focus is on the health, well-being, and independence of our clients.

OUR MISSION

Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois fosters health and contributes to the individual well-being and independence by delivering nutritious meals and medically prescribed diets and by providing other supportive services to the home-bound, elderly, disabled, and persons temporarily unable to care for their nutritional needs.

1 in 6 seniors…

Across the nation struggle to get the nutrition they need every day. In our neighborhood alone, that’s more than 30,000 people.

We worked with photographer Chloe Burch, a student at DePaul University, to capture some of our real-life clients. Along with coordinator and writer Sarah Gardner, we hope these portraits and descriptions help you get to know the many, varied faces of Meals on Wheels.

John B.

John B. always greets you with a smile and a story from his fascinating life. He’s has had his own TV show on public access television, he’s traveled the country as a truck driver, and he’s done community service work with his local church for many years. But he says one of the most fulfilling jobs he ever had was working in the Chicago area with former prisoners to help with their reentry into regular life.
As a member of the Meals at Home Board of Directors, John is still active in his church today and enjoys spending time with his 21 grandchildren.

Rosamund B.

Rosamund B. is 87 years old and lives in Wilmette. A loving mother to two daughters and a son, Rosamund was raised Jewish but has been practicing the Baha’i faith since the 1970s. She has taught others about her faith while on an excursion to Japan and has even been on a pilgrimage to Israel.
Rosamund is an extremely accomplished pianist who has been playing the piano since she was five years old. Passionate about performing, she has performed in many recitals and concerts and never got stage fright. She also composes her own music and has five CDs. She taught piano for 35 years. She says that she goes to a “different world” when she plays the piano and describes the feeling as “joy and exaltation.” Rosamund had a lifelong dream fulfilled when her music was played on WFMT on March 31, 2018.

Joe Y.

Joe Y. was born in East Chicago. He later lived in Griffin, Ind. until the age of 18 when he joined the Navy in 1969. He also served in the Marine Corps from 1980-1987.
Joe was born and raised Catholic. He enjoys studying the Bible and says he has, “Gotten close to God to stay alive.” Joe says the happiest time of his life was when his son was born. He is also very proud to be a grandfather to three children with fourth one on the way. Another wonderful part of Joe’s life is his dog, Bowie. Bowie is a Black Labrador rescue dog that Joe absolutely adores.
Joe appreciates the assistance he has received from Meals on Wheels and says that, “All the people are nice and they even bring treats for Bowie!”

Louis M.

Lois M., the youngest of six children, was born on the south side of Chicago. She moved to Evanston when she was a teenager and attended Evanston Township High School.
Lois loves talking to people and making others happy. One of her favorite volunteer experiences was at the children’s unit at the University of Chicago Hospital. For the past year, Lois has been working as a recruiter for a field work research time and she really enjoys it. She also loves to go to church, work out at the Y, and knitting.
But as much as Lois loves being around others and getting out, she struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and bipolar disorder. She has been a Meals on Wheels client for 17 years, and it really helps her manage day to day life. Lois’ favorite memories are of traveling to Paris and London with her sister, and she hopes to continue her travels in the future.

Meals on Wheels NEI Staff

**Eden Juron Pearlman**

**Interim Executive Director**

**Sam Landman**

**Food Service Director**

Eden Juron Pearlman (she/her/hers) will be serving Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois, as Interim Executive Director through the end of 2024. “It is a great opportunity to help steward this amazing organization through a transitional period.” Eden is a seasoned not-for-profit consultant, with broad experience in executive leadership and nonprofit strategy and enjoys serving through fractional leadership and project management.

With expertise ranging from strategic planning to mission development, fundraising strategy to organizational overviews, she has worked extensively in the not-for-profit sector and has built connections in the not-for-profit community in Evanston, Chicago, and the North Shore as the longtime Executive Director of the Evanston History Center.

Eden holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of Illinois, as well as a Master’s Degree in History of Architecture and Art and a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Eden lives in Chicago and loves learning about all the interesting neighborhoods.

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Sam Landman learned to cook at the side of a master chef from Johnson and Wales University culinary school. Sam comes to MWNEI with more than a decade of experience in the senior healthcare field.

He has been involved in everything food service related from menu engineering and cooking to budget and inventory control. He most recently led food service efforts at Bridgeway Senior Living in Bensenville, IL, was chef at Park Plaza Retirement Center in Chicago, and executive kosher chef for Aramark at the University of Chicago.

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**Spencer Harstead**

**Program Director**

Spencer is the Program Director, bringing over a decade of experience in the fight against food insecurity and helping older adults maintain their health and independence. With a strong background in managing grants and direct service for programs such as Meals on Wheels and other nutrition initiatives, Spencer is committed to delivering high-quality service that goes beyond just providing meals. Their focus is on ensuring a satisfied client base by maintaining a dedicated and happy team of staff and volunteers.

Outside of work, Spencer enjoys board gaming, exploring the outdoors, and cooking at home. He also loves hosting family and friends at his home in Berwyn, IL.

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Ann Brennan is a nonprofit manager specializing in senior services. Over her career, she's consistently driven initiatives that boost organizational growth and foster meaningful connections with stakeholders. These initiatives highlight her skill in forging innovative community partnerships and collaboration with leading institutions. Deeply committed to community service, Ann's volunteer roles span from outreach programs in Vietnam to board memberships, reflecting her genuine dedication to creating lasting impact.

A Chicago native, Ann has lived across various parts of the U.S. and overseas but found her way back to the Windy City nine years ago. In her free time, Ann enjoys being with family, kayaking, traveling, and relaxing at the beach.

As the one of the newest Meals on Wheels NE IL team member, Ann looks forward to leveraging her experience and fervor for community service to further the organization's mission.

**Alona Montgomery**

**Niles Cafe Site Coordinator**

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Alona has been working with volunteer management for the past three years. Alona graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020, where she studied Russian, International Studies, and Translation. Outside of her major, she was heavily involved with the community, where she held leadership roles at UI Students for Human rights and at the Iowa United Nations Association. After college, she completed an Americorps VISTA role where her primary goal was to increase access to food resources for low-income seniors through Meals on Wheels. Once she finished her VISTA year, she returned to Chicago and worked as the Volunteer Coordinator at A Safe Haven Foundation, and grew their volunteer base and corporate partnerships. She is excited to expand the volunteer base at Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois.

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