Wagga Meals on Wheels hit an incredible milestone, serving up its one millionth meal on Friday.
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Wagga Meals on Wheels Manager Julie Logan welcomed the achievement.
"It's amazing to be able to say we've delivered one million meals, Ms Logan said. "It's also nice to be acknowledged that we are that busy."
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The mostly volunteer-run organisation aims to help senior residents remain in their homes by providing meals on a frequent or casual basis and delivering them with care and compassion.
To mark the special occasion, Ms Logan presented a bouquet of flowers to volunteers John and Jenny Ristivojevic who were tasked with delivering the milestone millionth meal. The couple have been volunteering with the service one day each month for the past several years and find it very rewarding.
"We really enjoy it," Mr Ristivojevic said. "It's nice to be able to help people out," his wife Jenny added. "I would certainly encourage others to get involved," Mr Ristivojevic said.
Meals on Wheels client, 90-year-old Wagga resident Monica praised the service.
"The nutritional meals have done me wonders, but the volunteers make the service what it is," she said.
Formed by a band of volunteers in the 1960s, the group began operating out of the Wesley Centre on Johnson Street but eventually outgrew the location.
In 1989 Meals on Wheels made the move to its current home next to the Senior Citizens Centre. "We had a full commercial kitchen... and cooked between 30,000 to 40,000 meals per year," Ms Logan said.
In 2009, a combination of factors saw a major shift to frozen meals. These are now sourced both locally and further afield.
These days, the service delivers over 31,000 meals each year to homes all across Wagga, catering to allergy and nutritional needs, different cultural cuisines and texture requirements.
Wagga Meals on Wheels president John Craig said while a lot has changed since the organisation first began, the quality of service provided by the primarily volunteer-run service has remained constant.
With a team of local employees and a strong and dedicated volunteer force, Meals on Wheels is looking forward to delivering its second million meals to the local community in the years to come.
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