About Us

Our History

In 1968, CEDA and local Cook County residents saw that many Evanston seniors were struggling with malnutrition because they could no longer shop for or prepare meals. They turned to Sister Mary Alfreda Bracht of Saint Francis Hospital, who arranged for the hospital kitchen to prepare meals for home delivery.

Volunteers organized routes, and Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois began delivering meals in October 1968. As more communities across northern Cook and Lake Counties identified the same need, our service area and volunteer base steadily expanded.

Today, from Wilmette to Winthrop Harbor and Lake Forest to Lincolnshire, that early grassroots effort continues to grow—ensuring older adults receive the nourishment and connection they deserve.

WHO WE ARE

Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois delivers fresh, healthy meals to neighbors who cannot prepare food at home. Powered by a dedicated network of volunteers, we support older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals recovering from medical procedures.

Many of the seniors we serve live on fixed incomes and face difficult choices between housing, medication, and food. To ensure no one goes without support, many of our clients receive reduced‑fee services.

As the region’s leading provider of home-delivered meals and support services for older adults, we are committed to promoting the health, well-being, and independence of every client we serve.

OUR MISSION

We nourish health, dignity, and independence by delivering nutritious meals and supportive services to older adults and others unable to meet their own 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

**Sam Landman**

**Food Service Director**

Justin Block joins Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois as Executive Director, bringing more than fifteen years of experience leading mission-driven organizations to strengthen communities through collaboration and impact.

He most recently served as Executive Director of The Friendship Center, where he led efforts to provide food and essential resources to neighbors facing hunger on Chicago’s northwest side. During his tenure, the organization expanded its services, enhanced program quality, and achieved notable gains in key performance metrics.

Earlier in his career, Justin held leadership roles at Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, where he helped scale national initiatives and drive innovation across the network. He also managed mission-based partnerships at Shorebank, a pioneering Chicago Community Development Financial Institution founded to combat redlining and expand access to financial services in underserved neighborhoods.

A film buff and pizza enthusiast, Justin lives with his wife in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood.

email justin

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.

Email Sam

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.

Email Ann

Volunteer Coordinator (open role)

email to volunteer

Our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is comprised of community members who care deeply about the well-being and happiness of their neighbors. Our diverse mix of leaders and larger body of volunteers work hard to ensure EVERYONE EATS!

Steve Johnson.jpg — **Steve Johnson**

**Past President**
**Principal, SJ Connects**

**Michael Brody**

**Board President**
**Partner, Jenner & Block**

**Michael McHugh**

**President Elect**
**Gallagher Insurance**

**Joe Wark**

**Board Secretary**
**Impact Networking**