To deliver nutritious meals to elderly or infirm individuals in the Charlotte community who are unable to obtain or prepare their own meals while also providing human connection to the isolated and lonely and peace of mind to their families.
On October 4, 1976, six meals were delivered to the homes of elderly residents in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte. It was Friendship Trays’ very first day of operation.
Members from local churches had recognized an emerging need in their community—aging or infirm members of their congregations who needed help with meals so they could stay in their homes and independent.
Members of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church, Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church, St. John’s Baptist Church and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church started by buying meals from Mercy Hospital and delivering them on a daily basis.
It was clear from the beginning that the volunteers were delivering so much more than food. They delivered a smile, a helping hand, and a daily visit from someone who cared. But the need existed well beyond the Elizabeth neighborhood.
Expanding the Mission
By the fall of 1977, representatives from 30 Charlotte-area churches met to discuss expansion. The result was the incorporation of Friendship Trays into an independent not-for-profit agency. To accommodate their growth they began buying meals from other health care institutions.
After thirteen years, the board concluded that it would be more efficient and cost-effective if the program prepared its own meals in-house—and that would require its own kitchen. St. Martin’s Episcopal Church offered a facility, which was updated to meet health and safety standards. On March 1990, the very first meal prepared by the Friendship Trays staff was delivered from their very own kitchen.
By 1993, over 700 volunteers were driving more than 40 routes with six stops each, and there were still more people who needed help. Friendship Trays had outgrown the St. Martin’s facility.
A New Home for a Growing Family
As the organization’s leadership considered various possibilities for expansion, the answer came in the form of 5,000 square feet of warehouse space donated by Laura and Bruce Parker in Charlotte’s South End area. A capital campaign covered the cost of design and construction, and in 1996, the Distribution Street kitchen opened.
They are still there today. And they are still making innovations to serve the community.
From Hot to Cold
Friendship Trays converted all of its home deliveries from hot meals to chilled meals. The food is quickly reduced in temperature after cooking to lock in more nutrients. The conversion allowed increased capacity without substantial kitchen expansion costs.
Recipients report that the meals taste better, and they look better – a key issue among ailing recipients that need that encouragement to eat well and healthfully.
Today’s challenge is not food capacity, but distribution and financial resources. Gas prices are high. Volunteers are busy.
Since 1976 our mission at Friendship Trays has been to deliver nutritious meals to elderly or infirm individuals in the Charlotte community who are unable to obtain or prepare their own meals. We deliver a meal to the doorstep of over 400 recipients. But we deliver so much more than that. We deliver human connection to those that are isolated and lonely. We deliver peace of mind to the families of our recipients. It’s so much more than a meal.
FRIENDSHIP TRAYS
Mail: PO Box 680791 Charlotte, NC 28216
Offices: 648 Griffith Rd. Charlotte, NC 28217
Voice: 704.523.4333
Operating hours: 8 am – 3 pm