More than 80,000 devoted Meals on Wheels volunteers throughout the country celebrated their contribution to community on National Meals on Wheels Day yesterday.

Local heroes from services within each state got together to commemorate the day by preparing a special meal, having a barbeque or a hosting a reception for the volunteers in thanks and appreciation of their hard work and loyalty.

CEO of NSW Meals on Wheels, Les MacDonald, emphasised that the most important thing about the service is its grassroots history and connection to community.

“In the end it’s about celebrating what the volunteers have done and encouraging them to remain involved,” said Mr MacDonald. 

“It seems to me that the federal government has been going on about healthy ageing. Healthy ageing is about keeping people in their own homes and communities and preventing premature institutionalisation.

“If older people were not provided with [our] meals, many would not have been able to stay living at home...We believe that the service is important because of the social cohesion that it builds."

Mr MacDonald said that the volunteers perform a valuable social service which not only benefits the older person who is in receipt of the food, but their families, friends and of course, their entire community.

“It’s not just about a meal,” he said. 

“As older people get older and frailer they get more isolated from their own community. The service provides contact that keeps them socialised in their community.

“We are gregarious species by nature and it is absolutely vital that they have that contact."

Meals on Wheels delivers food to around 50,000 people throughout the country each day. In NSW, 35,000 volunteers deliver 4.5 million meals to 15,000 clients across the state.

"There’s an enormous social and economic efficiency for keeping people living in their own home.

“There's no question from government’s point of view that [Meals on Wheels] results in a massive reduction in cost…as it is run by volunteers.”

The service has provided nutritious meals to the frail aged and younger people with disabilities for more than 50 years.

Kitchen supervisor, Lorrainne Bechert, has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer for the Broken Hill service for 21 years. 

“I love it,” Ms Bechert said.

“I love to help older people. It’s just changed my life completely and I’ve gotten a lot of value from it."

Ms Berchart starts volunteering every week morning at 7.30am. She cooks all the meals fresh so that recipients are able to reap all of the benefits associated with having a nutritious diet.

The best part of the gig, according to Ms Bechert, is the internal rewards.

“It’s the satisfaction that comes with helping older people…especially at Christmas time when you get to see the expressions on their faces.”

Ms Berchart encourages other people to get involved in the service, which is always in need of more volunteers and donations.

“We need any help whatsoever for the kitchen section and we need more drivers. We are always looking for people to volunteer.”

National Meals on Wheels Day is celebrated by all local services throughout the country in late-August every year.