St. Vincent Meals on Wheels hosted “La Dolce Vita: An Evening Under the Stars” on Oct. 10, transforming the Hotel Dieu Senior Apartments courtyard into an intimate, Italian-inspired gathering. The open house and community dinner kicked off the organization’s 50th anniversary year and launched a five-year capital improvement campaign.

The evening included a behind-the-scenes tour of the SVMOW kitchen, allowing guests to see firsthand where nearly 3,000 hot meals are prepared daily for homebound seniors. The open house also included tours of the chapel and an apartment at the residential facility, giving attendees a glimpse into the living quarters of Hotel Dieu’s senior residents.

The tour concluded in the Hotel Dieu courtyard, transformed to recreate the warmth of a classic “Nona’s backyard.”

SVMOW Board Chair Sr. Joyce Weller led an invocation and blessing. Attendees enjoyed an Italian menu prepared by Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Carlos Aparicio, who has served the SVMOW kitchen for more than 15 years.

The new capital improvement campaign will directly fund the modernization of essential commercial kitchen equipment and vital facility upgrades for the Hotel Dieu Senior Apartments. Guests contributed thousands of dollars to support the organization. For information, visit svmow.org.