Forces of Philanthropy: Meals on Wheels of Greenville

Meals on Wheels of Greenville

Website: mealsonwheelsgreenville.org

Address: 15 Oregon St., Greenville, SC 29605
Phone: 864-233-6565

Facebook Handle: facebook.com/mowgvl
Instagram Handle: @mowgvl

Established: 1968
Number of Employees: 32
Geographic Service Area: Greenville County

Funding sources

• Individual gifts: 48%
• Endowment: 7%
• Special events: 8%
• Business-related income: 6%
• Grants: 30%
• Indirect public support: 1%

Mission statement

The mission of Meals on Wheels of Greenville is to build programs that provide nourishment through meals and connections. We are passionately committed to alleviating food insecurity and social isolation for homebound individuals and others in Greenville County.

Impact

2024 by the numbers:

• Clients served: 2,569
• Meals served: 394,988
• Active volunteers: More than 1,400
• New clients: 1,063
• Clients’ age range: 20-102
• Emergency meal kits: 1,672
• Dollar amount in volunteer hours donated: $1.6 million
• Average number of birthday cakes per month: 102
• Clients enrolled in Pet Pals Program: 85
• Quarterly #MoreThanMeals gift bags delivered: 5,107

Leadership

Board of directors

Jimmy Buddenberg, chair
Lauren Price, vice chair
Russell Shepherd, immediate past chair
Rainy Hoeft, treasurer
Dr. Laurie Theriot Roley, secretary
Emma Barksdale
Amy Ryberg Doyle
Diana Jahries
Rohit Kale
Lisa Landreth
Anna Mills
George Shira

Fundraisers and events

• Sweetheart Charity Ball: Every February, MoWGVL’s largest annual fundraiser brings together hundreds of community leaders and philanthropists. The 2025 gala raised $435,093, providing over 72,500 meals and volunteer check-ins.
• Fall Social: MoWGVL’s Young Professionals gather community members of all ages in October to network, raise awareness and raise funds. The event has raised more than $77,000 since 2018.
• Meals on Cart Wheels: On the first Monday of November, golfers tee up for a great day of golf and networking at Fox Run Country Club. The tournament has provided more than 33,700 meals.
• Mealed It!: The virtual Giving Tuesday fundraiser in November provides #MoreThanMeals holiday gift bags for all active clients.

Volunteer opportunities

• Meal delivery: Dedicate one hour of your time delivering meals and checking in with eight-14 clients on a delivery route on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays. Pickup between 10:30 and noon.
• Meal packing: From 8-10 a.m., help prepare hot meals going out to clients that day.
• Meal distribution: Assemble and distribute meal orders to delivery volunteers at the office between 10:30 a.m. and noon.
• Office assistance: Assist staff members with office administration tasks on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tasks will vary depending on the week each month.
• Special events: Volunteer at one — or all — of the annual fundraisers.

Giving opportunities

• General donation: Every $6 donated provides a nutritionally balanced meal and volunteer visit for one client.
• Become a Table Setter: When you commit to a monthly donation, you have a profound effect on the organization’s ability to plan and provide services.
• Special event sponsorship: Support our mission by sponsoring one of our special events. Your sponsorship helps fund vital programs while giving your brand meaningful visibility in the community.
• Support the heart of our mission: As a Mission Support Sponsor, you have the unique opportunity to directly support a part of our mission that resonates most with you—whether it’s funding our fleet vehicles, uplifting our volunteers, supporting our birthday cake program, or more.