Recognizing an exemplary Meals on Wheels leader committed to combatting senior isolation and hunger
Sherman, Texas (August 19, 2024) – Meals on Wheels America yesterday announced Greg Pittman, Chief Executive Officer of Meals on Wheels Texoma in Sherman, TX, as the recipient of the 2024 annual Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award. This award was established in 2018 to celebrate the life and contributions of one of the Meals on Wheels network’s most respected and influential leaders of all time.
A registered dietician, Sister Alice Marie Quinn – affectionately known as SAM – founded St. Vincent Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles, CA, in 1977, and through her leadership and spirit, left an indelible mark on the national Meals on Wheels community.
Each year, this award honors a current leader of a local Meals on Wheels program who embodies Sister Alice Marie’s legacy through compassion, dedication and contribution, and who works to unite and advance the nationwide Meals on Wheels movement. A field of many worthy nominees was narrowed before the Meals on Wheels America Board of Directors voted on the final selection. They sought to honor a leader who has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership – someone who has been able to provide direction in the face of incredible challenges and bring together staff, volunteers, the community, donors and supporters to provide critical nourishment, social connection and peace of mind to seniors in their community.
“Throughout his tenure as CEO, Greg has been a pillar within the Meals on Wheels network, embodying our collective mission and vision of an America in which no senior is left hungry or isolated,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “He embodies the spirit of Sister Alice Marie with his compassion, commitment and acumen, inspiring his team and the community to rally around its senior neighbors.”
"I am so very fortunate to have the opportunity to be continually inspired by the unwavering generosity and commitment of our community,” said Greg Pittman, CEO, Meals on Wheels Texoma. “Every meal we deliver is more than just food; it is a symbol of hope, compassion, and dignity for those we serve. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that our elderly and disabled neighbors are not just fed but are also nourished in spirit, knowing that they are valued and cared for. Together, we deliver so much more than a meal; together, we can deliver."
The 2024 Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award was presented during Meals on Wheels America’s 50th Anniversary Conference on Wednesday, August 14. This year’s milestone convening brought together over 700 senior nutrition leaders and partners in Baltimore, MD.
About Greg Pittman, CEO, Meals on Wheels Texoma
Greg Pittman has faithfully served the seniors of his program since beginning as a volunteer over 18 years ago. Since 2008, he has served as CEO and his passion and dedication to the mission has led the organization to achieve remarkable success – leading an organization that serves nearly 300,000 meals to more than 2,000 participants every year, relying on nearly 450 volunteers who across a 3,600-square-mile area. Under his leadership, he has doubled charitable giving, increased the number of meals served by nearly 200,000, and ensured that the organization sustained home-delivered meals every day throughout the pandemic. Since he first stepped into his position as CEO, he has worked tirelessly to fulfill his vision of centralizing operations across the three counties they serve and twelve independent service sites they operate. Over the last two years, Greg has secured funding for a state-of-the-art central kitchen that has doubled the organization’s production capacity. In addition to being very active with the Meals on Wheels Texas State Association’s legislative efforts, his advocacy has extended repeatedly to Washington, D.C., where he has passionately championed increased funding and the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. Greg was raised in Dallas, Texas and attended North Texas State University. Before coming to Meals on Wheels, Greg worked for Mobil Oil’s Dallas Network Operations Center and Microsoft. Greg also participates in various local groups, including a weekly commitment to a Rotary Club that routinely performs service projects in the community. He consults with various advisory boards, groups, and clubs that provide resources and services that impact his community, and he encourages his staff to do the same in order to support the communities they live in.
For more information about Meals on Wheels Texoma, visit www.mowot.org
About Sister Alice Marie Quinn, Founder
of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels
Sister Alice Marie Quinn, D.C., the Founder and Executive Director of St. Vincent Meals on Wheels in Los
Angeles, CA, and a former Meals on Wheels America Board Chair, passed away in June of 2017. Today, the program has grown to serve LA’s most vulnerable older adults and provide meals to a number of other local Meals on Wheels programs. Sister Alice Marie’s groundbreaking work in the field of senior nutrition and hunger has not gone unnoticed; among the accolades both she and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels have garnered include being a recipient of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) Silver Plate Award in 2006, for outstanding achievement in Specialty Food Services, being named “Woman of the Year” in 1988 by the State of California; and in 2013, having the Los Angeles City Council declare the day before Thanksgiving as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels Day in LA.
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation.
Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.