Home Subscriber Only Business Women Grady ensures home-bound seniors are fed and safe

Grady ensures home-bound seniors are fed and safe

By

John A. Lahtinen

-

05/27/2021

WELL-PREPARED: Meghan Grady, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, said the nonprofit is focusing on innovating and modernizing its programming in preparation to meet an increased need for its services. / PBN PHOTO/ ELIZABETH GRAHAM

PBN 2021 Business Women Awards Health Care Services Woman to Watch: Meghan Grady, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island As a lifelong Rhode Islander, Meghan Grady is passionate about the people here and the things that impact their lives. Early in her life, Grady knew she wanted to give back through public and community service.

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PBN 2021 Business Women Awards Health Care Services Woman to Watch: Meghan Grady, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island

As a lifelong Rhode Islander, Meghan Grady is passionate about the people here and the things that impact their lives. Early in her life, Grady knew she wanted to give back through public and community service. In college, she interned for U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass. Her first job was serving as a legislative page at the R.I. Senate. After working as chief operating officer for YWCA Rhode Island for nearly nine years, Grady accepted the role of executive director at Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island in the summer of 2019. Grady says she draws upon those past experiences regularly in her new role. “My work ethic and positive attitude helped me gain trust and respect early on in my career,” Grady said. “I have a deep gratitude for those who believed in my ability from an early age, gave me opportunities and helped me refine my leadership skills.” As the state’s only nonprofit home-delivered meal program, Meals on Wheels has served almost 20 million home-delivered meals in the state. Operating without disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has home-delivered nearly 350,000 meals and an additional 275,000 emergency response meals. Grady is quick to underscore not just the importance of the meals themselves but also her team and the commitment of the program’s many volunteers. “Our program is so much more than a meal,” Grady said, “it’s also a lifesaving safety check and opportunity for socialization. During the pandemic, many of our clients shared that the Meals on Wheels of R.I. volunteer or delivery driver was the only person with whom they regularly interacted. Our more-than-a-meal model not only helped them stay fed and safe at home but also helped them to feel less lonely and isolated.” Grady said Rhode Island will add 100,000 older adults to its population in the next 10 years. “That will mean more seniors will be in need of our services,” she said. “As an organization, we are focusing on how we innovate and modernize our programming to be prepared to meet this increased need.”