The First Meals: A Community Responds
The story of Meals on Wheels in Peterborough began with an act of compassion, sparked by a tragedy. When Florence Grady, a 73-year-old living alone, suffered a fall on High Street and lay helpless for five days before being discovered, the Peterborough community was deeply shaken. Determined to provide a safety net for seniors living alone, Elizabeth Janusz founded the Courtesy Association. The Association’s first initiative was to deliver hot meals to seniors in need, providing not only nourishment but the reassurance of a friendly face.
On October 22, 1964, Elizabeth, joined by neighbors Agnes Petrie and Wihla Bowes, prepared and delivered seven meals from their own kitchens to local seniors. This small act soon caught the attention of others in Peterborough. Within weeks, Bill Beatty, then CEO of Civic Hospital, offered to prepare meals for just fifty cents each. Keith Brown, Peterborough’s MPP, donated the use of a station wagon to make deliveries, and Wonder Bread contributed picnic baskets to help carry the meals.
What began as a single meal delivery quickly blossomed into a movement of kindness and community support. Within the first year, over 50 volunteers had joined the Courtesy Association, inspired by a desire to ensure that no senior felt alone. Through their selflessness and dedication, these early pioneers set the foundation for a program that, 60 years later, still provides a lifeline for many. Today, as we look back on these first steps, we remember the kindness that gave birth to Meals on Wheels—and the community spirit that keeps it going strong.
(Image from the Peterborough Examiner, October 1964.)
