RECOGNIZING A MEALS ON WHEELS LEADER COMMITTED TO COMBATTING SENIOR ISOLATION AND HUNGER AMID THE COVID-19 CRISIS AND BEYOND
September 4, 2020 – Meals on Wheels America today announced Stephanie Archer-Smith, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland in Baltimore, MD, as the recipient of the third annual Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award. The Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award was established 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 – 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. In particular, the 2020 selection committee looked to highlight a leader who has rolled up their sleeves, navigated uncharted waters with skill and grace, and has rallied staff, volunteers, donors and supporters to ensure no senior is forgotten. In total, more than 50 worthy leaders were nominated by the network.
“Stephanie has dedicated a career of more than 35 years to working with vulnerable populations, and we’re all so fortunate that nearly a quarter of that has been spent helping Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland to grow through her incredible vision and skillful leadership,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO, Meals on Wheels America. “Like Sister Alice Marie Quinn, service is simply in Stephanie’s DNA, and we’re grateful to be able to honor her and all of the groundbreaking work she’s done to improve the lives of Maryland seniors and to serve as a beacon for our nationwide network of Meals on Wheels programs moving forward from the hardships brought on by COVID-19.”
“I accept this award on behalf of countless people, but most especially on behalf of my team whose shoulders I stand on every day,” said Archer-Smith. “I could not be prouder to work with this truly talented and committed network that is Meals on Wheels.”
The 2020 Sister Alice Marie Quinn Award was presented during Meals on Wheels America’s first-ever Virtual Conference on Monday, August 31. The four-day convening brought together more than 2,000 senior nutrition leaders, staff and supporters representing nearly 900 local, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country.
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ABOUT STEPHANIE ARCHER-SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MEALS ON WHEELS OF CENTRAL MARYLAND
Stephanie has dedicated herself to working with vulnerable populations throughout the life cycle in private, public and not-for-profit human service organizations over the course of more than 35 years. Since 2012, she has been working with Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, consistently nurturing and creating community relationships, programs and systems to address social determinants of health that disproportionately affect senior clients, such as social isolation and breakages in the continuum of care. Under Stephanie’s leadership, Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland has expanded programmatically and financially, enabling more meals than ever before to reach vulnerable Marylanders who need them the most.
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 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 combatting hunger has not gone unnoticed; among the accolades both she and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels have garnered are 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, the Los Angeles City Council declared 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 isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time.
Press Contacts:
Jenny Young
Meals on Wheels America
571-339-1603
jenny@mealsonwheelsamerica.org
Jill Prevatt
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, Inc.
410-558-0827
prevatt@mowcm.org