MANAHAWKIN – Jenny Caban never expected to find love again at 80 years old, and certainly not over lunch. But when she first locked eyes with Felix Martinez, 90, at the Meals on Wheels Community Café in Manahawkin, the spark was undeniable.
“It was love at first sight,” Jenny recalled with a wide smile. Within a few years, the couple became such a fixture at the café that staff staged a mock wedding for them in 2022, complete with a borrowed gown, cake, and plenty of laughter.
Theirs isn’t the only romance to blossom inside the cheerful space where Ocean County seniors gather daily. Meals on Wheels of Ocean County – which recently passed its 50th anniversary – has become much more than a meal service. It is a place where empty kitchens and lonely afternoons are replaced with friendship, companionship – and sometimes even marriage.
Where Companionship Is On The Menu
Five days a week, the Manahawkin café buzzes with life long before the lunch bell rings. Seniors trickle in mid-morning, ready for crafts, speakers, and activities. Some days, it’s chair aerobics; other times, an unconventional twist on volleyball – a giant soft ball tossed across a circle of seated participants.
“It’s not just about the food,” explained Patty Mosier, the activities director. “The most important part is the socialization. People get to sit with peers, share conversations that matter, and build friendships. Some of those friendships turn into Atlantic City bus trips together – and, yes, sometimes into romances.”
That’s how John Bryant, 95, and his wife Cynthia, 72, met. Both living in Perry’s Lake, they were nudged together by café site manager Lorraine Flohr.
“She told us to sit together at lunch, and the rest was history,” Cynthia laughed. Married for a year and a half now, the pair credits Lorraine’s gentle matchmaking.
For many participants, these connections fill the quiet spaces left by the loss of a spouse or distance from family. Hunger, in this sense, isn’t always about food. Sometimes it’s about yearning for human connection and finding it across a lunch table.
The café is proof that getting older doesn’t mean losing the spark of fun. A recent “Groovy ’70s Party” had seniors dancing to disco classics, before gathering for a hot meal.
Each weekday, lunch is served with a nutritious entrée designed by a qualified nutritionist to meet at least one-third of the USDA’s recommended daily allowances. Seniors are invited to make a voluntary $3 donation, but no one is ever turned away.
Ocean Ride buses bring participants to the Manahawkin café (located at 179 South Main Street), while similar sites operate in Brick, Jackson, Waretown, and Little Egg Harbor, often with municipal transport. The only eligibility requirement? Being 60 or older and ready to join in.
More Than Meals
Meals on Wheels of Ocean County delivers more than 260,000 meals each year to about 1,700 seniors. But its leadership knows the need is growing – and the mission is expanding.
At an open house in August, the organization unveiled its strategic plan for the years ahead.
“Meals on Wheels is entering an exciting new chapter,” said Heather deJong, Director of Advancement and Engagement. “As part of our new strategic plan, Meals on Wheels of Ocean County is strengthening the way we deliver care, foster connection, and build community for our seniors across Ocean County.”
“This plan is designed not only to sustain our mission today but to ensure its impact for generations to come,” deJong continued. “To better serve more seniors efficiently, we’re also implementing new technology solutions for meal routing and preparation, improving our operations to meet the growing needs of all seniors”
DeJong emphasized the organization’s investment in technology to improve meal routing and preparation, helping serve more seniors more efficiently. Alongside her, newly introduced staff members Jhanna Even, Director of Development, and Angela Gallucci, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, will help lead the charge.
Voices Of Support
Wyatt Earp, longtime board president, spoke candidly about the difference between Meals on Wheels and a commercial food delivery service. “Think about it,” Earp said. “Uber Eats drops food at your door and runs. Our drivers stop, say hello, and check on your wellbeing. That makes all the difference.”
Ocean County Commissioner Robert Arace praised the program as a “family” for those who might otherwise feel alone. “Knowing that there’s a program like Meals on Wheels, where every weekday, someone provides a meal, says hello, and makes sure seniors are okay, is incredibly important. I plan on being an extremely strong advocate for this program.”
Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of Food Security Advocate, urged the community to dream big and urged the county to consider its own office of food security. “Make your dream so scary that hunger becomes afraid of it. Food security is about more than just a meal. Love, gratefully. Love each other. Gratefully love your community.”
“Meals on Wheels can serve a senior for an entire year at the same cost as just one day in the hospital,” said Joe Stroffolino, Strategic Plan Co-Chair and Causeway Family of Dealerships executive. “That’s very efficient and responsible spending.”
The Recipe That Keeps on Giving
Drivers for Meals on Wheels of Ocean County have conducted wellness checks that saved lives. Its cafés have sparked friendships, romances, and marriages. Its community partners have ensured sustainability and growth.
“The message is ‘more than food,’” said Maria LaFace, Director of Senior Services for Ocean County. “Meals on Wheels is about care and connection – about making sure no senior feels forgotten.”
Jenny and Felix would agree. Between crafts, chair volleyball, and plenty of shared lunches, they’ve discovered not just nourishment but joy, and a future together.
