Building inclusive communities: The Meals on Wheels program at St. Christopher House

This thesis is concerned with the creation of inclusive communities from the point of view of interpersonal relations in contexts of social diversity. The inclusive community is understood in this thesis as a form of social organization that brings together diverse individuals and enables them to meaningfully engage each other in interaction. The thesis illustrates the process of creation of inclusive communities through the analysis of the Meals on Wheels program at St. Christopher House in Toronto, a volunteer-based program that delivers meals to individuals who cannot look after their own nutrition. Based on this case the thesis shows that there is a significant world of social interactions beyond the practice of meal delivery that result in the form of an inclusive community. The thesis concludes by drawing lessons from the case study regarding the process of building inclusive communities as well as their role in creating social change.