The Innovation Awards celebrate and recognise creative ideas, programs and partnerships that extend the impact of Meals on Wheels beyond meal delivery. The 2026 theme is “Innovation Beyond the Meal,” recognising projects which embody the More Than Just a Meal philosophy and make a meaningful difference to clients, volunteers and/or communities.

About Ronald McDonald House Orange Christmas Fundraiser

In October 2025, Meals on Wheels Parkes launched a community fundraiser to provide nutritious frozen meals for families staying at Ronald McDonald House (RMH) Orange over the Christmas period.

The community was invited to donate the value of one meal ($8). With every donation funding one frozen meal. The meals were then delivered to RMH Orange where they were made available for families 24 hours a day, providing a convenient, healthy meal during what is often one of the most stressful times in their lives.

The Fundraiser brought together Meals on Wheels Parkes, RMH Orange, the local community, and Meals on Wheels Bathurst. While Parkes community funded the meals, Meals on Wheels Bathurst kindly partnered with the initiative by supplying meals to RMH Orange as required, ensuring families had ongoing access to nutritious meals throughout the Christmas period.

Following expansion of Parkes Meals on Wheels with Forbes and West Wyalong, the fundraiser continues in 2026 across the Parkes, Forbes and Bland Shires, becoming an annual activity in the region.

Why it started

The innovation began with a simple conversation:

“As we listened, we realised there were remarkable similarities between our organisations,” says Manager Jamie Webb. “Both rely heavily on dedicated volunteers, and both understand the value of having a nutritious frozen meal readily available. The solution was simple – why don’t we put some of our frozen meals in their freezer?”

That one conversation led to a simple, yet highly effective, Christmas fundraiser that enabled the community to provide practical support to the house and families during one of the most challenging times in their lives.

The difference it makes 

The 2025 fundraiser received overwhelming support from the local community, with more than 220 meals donated from the public, and an additional 100 meals donated by Parkes Shire Council. That’s over 320 nutritious meals being delivered to RMH Orange, exceeding the number needed to support families over the Christmas period and ensuring additional meals were available for families to enjoy in the months ahead.

Every meal represents the support of an entire community, reminding families that their community is standing beside them during one of the most difficult times in the lives.

The meals are available 24/7 allowing people to eat whenever they need to, rather than worrying about finding food – particularly late at night after long hours at the hospital. The meal is a healthy home-style alternative to takeaway and enables families to remain close to their loved ones without having to leave the hospital or the house in search of a meal.

The variety of meals and desserts available provides families with a genuine choice, offering not only nourishment but also the comfort of a well deserved dessert at the end of an incredibly difficult day.

A key strength of the partnership is the flexibility of Meals on Wheels Bathurst, supplying meals as needed without requiring RMH Orange to prepare or store large quantities. This reduces pressure on volunteers while ensuring families have access to nutritious, ready-to-eat meals. With food safety, preparation and labelling requirements already managed by Meals on Wheels, the initiative also provides a reliable, compliant meal solution.

The success of this fundraiser has also created new opportunities. RMH Orange are now exploring ways to make these meals available to family members staying in other areas of the hospital who are not entitled to meals through the hospital system. This will allow more families to remain close to their loved ones without having to leave the hospital to find a meal.

About the service

Meals on Wheels Parkes, Forbes & West Wyalong operates across three local government areas, providing services from offices in Parkes, Forbes & West Wyalong. Their team of 9 staff and approximately 200 volunteers support the delivery of fresh meals in Parkes and Forbes, and frozen meals across all three communities and surrounding village.