Meals on Wheels of Long Beach Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Home Delivered Meals - Meals on Wheels of Long Beach provides nutritious, ready-to-eat meals to individuals who face challenges with grocery shopping or meal preparation and may lack consistent support from family or friends. Services are available to residents of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, and Leisure World Seal Beach, regardless of age. Meals are delivered Monday through Friday (excluding major holidays) with care and compassion. Each delivery includes a hot dinner, cold lunch, dessert, and milk. In 2025, MOWLB delivered more than 140,000 meals to 793 unduplicated clients. Meal Deliveries support homebound seniors, veterans, individuals with chronic illnesses, and those with disabilities by providing nutritious meals, meaningful social connections, and a range of in-home support services. These efforts help our clients remain independent, well-nourished, safe, and comfortable in their own homes for as long as possible. Services are available to all qualified applicants at a subsidized cost. For those with limited income, meals and support services are fully subsidized following an intake assessment. This program is made possible through the generous support of individual donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic foundations. At MOWLB, we foster a family-like atmosphere, offering not only meals, but also compassion, comfort, and connection during times of stress and loneliness. Our meal deliveries also include: Friendly Visits - Our volunteers deliver more than meals. They provide companionship, kindness, and a vital connection to the outside world. During each delivery, volunteers offer friendly conversation and conduct informal wellness checks, reporting any concerns to staff. In 2025, volunteers conducted over 72,000 wellness checks, helping ensure the safety and well-being of our clients.Pets are Family Too - For many of our clients, pets are cherished companions and an important source of comfort. Through our Pets Are Family Too Program, we provide food for clients cats and dogs, helping them remain together. Client Support Services Program and Referrals - Our Client Support Services Program addresses essential needs beyond meal delivery, helping clients remain safe and comfortable at home. When needs exceed our scope, we connect clients with trusted local nonprofit partners to ensure they receive comprehensive care. We also secure and distribute donated items such as walkers, wheelchairs, bedding, and other essential supplies. Personal hygiene items are available to all clients, further supporting their dignity and well-being.Telephone Reassurance Program - Social isolation can significantly impact the health and well-being of homebound individuals. Our Telephone Reassurance Program provides friendly check-in calls once or twice a week for clients who need additional social interaction. In the past year, we made over 600 calls totaling more than 3,200 minutes of conversation. These calls help reduce loneliness, build meaningful relationships, and provide emotional support.California State University, Long Beach School of Nursing Partnership - MOWLB proudly partners with the School of Nursing at California State University, Long Beach. Nursing students are paired with clients who may benefit from additional attention and care. Students conduct in-home assessments and identify real-world challenges such as limited access to technology, financial hardship, transportation barriers, and home safety concerns. Working alongside faculty and MOWLB staff, they develop practical solutions and connect clients to resources, enhancing quality of life and reducing stress.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.7%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 80.2%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.85 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 10.9%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.2%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings