Meals on Wheels gets new bus, kitchen overhaul

The Barbados Red Cross Society’s Meals on Wheels programme is set to deliver more than just meals, thanks to the donation of a new bus and plans for a state-of-the-art kitchen renovation at the agency’s Warrens headquarters.

This transformative partnership with the Maria Holder Memorial Trust promises to enhance service delivery, train staff, expand outreach, and improve the nutritional quality of meals for the island’s most vulnerable populations.

The donation of a new Meals on Wheels bus to the society means the elderly, disabled, and shut-ins will soon benefit from enhanced service delivery. The bus was officially handed over during a ceremony on Tuesday at the Red Cross headquarters in the presence of members, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

While delivering welcoming remarks, Danielle Toppin, director general of the Red Cross, highlighted the importance of the Meals on Wheels programme, calling it the cornerstone of the organisation’s efforts to serve Barbados’ underserved population.

“This donation is not just about providing transportation for the programme, but it’s also about dignity, access, and ensuring that no one in our community goes hungry or feels forgotten,” she remarked.

The new vehicle is expected to enhance both the reliability and capacity of the programme, ensuring uninterrupted service while enabling expansion.

“This is a more reliable vehicle that allows us to provide uninterrupted service to our beneficiaries but, more importantly, to expand the programme,” Toppin added.

Director General of Barbados Red Cross Society Danielle Toppin.

In addition to improving mobility, the Maria Holder Memorial Trust has expressed its commitment to ensuring that meals meet beneficiaries’ nutritional needs. This focus is particularly significant given health challenges such as strokes and diabetes among elderly recipients.

Currently, the Meals on Wheels programme provides meals to 48 elderly individuals across Barbados. Christopher Holder, chairman and co-founder of the charity, issued a clarion call for further support from corporate Barbados and government entities to reach more vulnerable individuals.

“The sad thing about all this is that food is delivered based on donations. I understand you often suffer from not getting enough some days or not getting the right balance. So I would urge those hoteliers, those restaurateurs—even people with private houses—if they have unused food that is still within the sell-by date, please donate generously to what is a superb cause. That will help you in your endeavours to feed the elderly citizens of this wonderful island,” he urged.

Holder noted that currently, only about 15 per cent of the elderly population benefits from the programme. With additional support, he believes many more could be reached.

“It would be great if more work was done by the ministry to help those in greatest need. Of course, the people you are serving are those who actually built this country up. There’s an expression: ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and those people were raised by their villagers. They were once children; they’re now elders. They deserve this respect and dignity that this service offers,” he added.

Fabianna Alexander, president of the Red Cross Society, expressed gratitude to the Maria Holder Memorial Trust while emphasising their shared commitment to strengthening communities and improving lives.

She said: “Your investment in this programme goes beyond providing a vehicle. It symbolises compassion in action and a shared vision for a more caring and resilient society. For over 60 years, the Meals on Wheels programme has been a beacon of hope, providing hot, nutritious meals to elderly individuals living with disabilities or those unable to provide for themselves. This programme embodies humanity’s spirit—the very essence of the Red Cross movement.”

Alexander also announced plans for an exciting redesign of the Meals on Wheels kitchen. The renovation will enable expanded services and better disaster preparedness capabilities.

“We will embark on an exciting and much-needed redesign of our Meals on Wheels kitchen. This includes full renovation, expansion of our service to reach more persons in need, and scaling up operations during disasters or emergencies,” she explained.

Stakeholders get a tour and scope of the renovation to be done in the kitchen.

Over the past two years alone, the Barbados Red Cross Society has delivered over 20 640 meals to those in need. Alexander highlighted how improved facilities will allow them to address rising non-communicable diseases with more nutritious meals tailored to beneficiaries’ health needs.

“Through this project, we will be better equipped to provide meals that are not only nourishing but also aligned with each beneficiary’s specific health needs. With improved training for our staff and volunteers, an updated digitised database to track dietary requirements, and a fully resourced kitchen, we are enhancing not just this programme but also building resilience through food and nutrition,” she stated.

She concluded by emphasising that this investment represents more than infrastructure—it symbolises a powerful partnership dedicated to uplifting society’s most vulnerable members.

Christopher Holder also spoke about plans for constructing a state-of-the-art kitchen at Warrens headquarters.

“The equipment is going to be state-of-the-art; everyone’s going to be very envious of your kitchen! We’re also going to train your staff so they understand how to produce balanced diets for your beneficiaries. This full range of services isn’t just about providing a van—it’s about transforming how we care for vulnerable populations,” he said.

The Maria Holder Memorial Trust has made significant contributions across Barbados over the years. These include donating over ten vehicles to various organisations, refurbishing St James Cemetery, and providing incubators for Queen Elizabeth Hospital as part of its contributions to Barbadian society. 

louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb