Meals on Wheels Teams With Urban Farm Center

Meals On Wheels Columbia and the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture are delivering locally grown food to clients in Columbia.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Organic Food

Freshly harvested leafy greens and root vegetables in a wooden crate beside stacked insulated delivery containers, with a quiet residential street behind. — Meals On Wheels Columbia and the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture are now delivering locally grown produce in hot meals to residents who have trouble accessing them. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you volunteer to help deliver meals to local seniors or people with disabilities?

Meals On Wheels Columbia and the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture hosted an event celebrating their new partnership. The partnership has delivered 12,000 meals since August and is currently delivering over 200 meals a day.

Why it matters

The partnership allows the organizations to serve more people who have trouble accessing hot meals in Columbia. Fresh local produce from the collaboration now goes into the meals delivered to clients.

The partner organizations report 12,000 meals delivered since the partnership began in August, with current delivery exceeding 200 meals a day. The figures are self-reported and the source does not break down the number of unique clients served.

The players

Meals On Wheels Columbia

A local nonprofit that has delivered hot meals to people who have trouble accessing them since 1972.

Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture

A local organization focused on urban farming that supplies fresh produce used in the partnership's meals.

The details

Meals On Wheels Columbia, which has operated since 1972, delivers hot meals to people who have trouble accessing them. Fresh local produce from the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture is used in the meals, and attendees at the celebration toured the new kitchen and could buy a meal similar to those served to clients.

1972: Meals On Wheels Columbia began operating.
August: The partnership with the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture began.
Wednesday: The partnership celebration event was held.

Program Context

Home-delivered meal programs like Meals On Wheels have long relied on donated or purchased shelf-stable ingredients. This partnership adds a local urban agriculture supply chain to that established model.

Columbia residents who have trouble getting to meals can receive hot food delivered to their home. Volunteers are needed to help deliver meals, and the new welcome center plans to sell meals to the general public.

The takeaway

Residents interested in helping can volunteer with Meals On Wheels Columbia, since the organization says it needs more drivers. Supporting local food partnerships like this one helps keep fresh produce moving into community meal programs.