Tom and Linda Koehn, pictured above, believe philanthropy can do more than meet a need. It has the power to change what's possible.
As longtime friends of WesleyLife, Tom and Linda are driven by a desire to understand the deeper challenges facing communities and invest in solutions that create lasting impact. Their approach to giving is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: when we address root causes and strengthen the systems that support people, entire communities thrive.
That belief inspired their first investment in WesleyLife through the Meals on Wheels capital campaign, which established a new campus designed to expand services to more food-insecure veterans and older adults. Recognizing the opportunity to extend impact beyond traditional meal delivery, Tom and Linda helped make possible the Grow Room at the Prairie Meadows Hydroponic Farm, housed within the new campus.
About the Grow Room
The Grow Room reflects the kind of innovation that resonates deeply with Tom and Linda's vision for philanthropy. In 2025 alone, the farm produced more than 7,343 pounds of fresh food, contributing to nearly 50,000 Meals on Wheels meals. Beyond meal delivery, that harvest helped nourish thousands of community members through partnerships with area food pantries while creating a new revenue stream through retail sales and the farm's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
The Koehns' generosity toward the Grow Room exemplifies how a thoughtful investment can create multiple layers of community benefit, increasing access to fresh food, strengthening local food systems, supporting financial sustainability, and improving health outcomes for older adults and families alike.
"We've always believed that philanthropy should do more than solve today's problem. It should help create a better tomorrow. The work of WesleyLife reflects that philosophy by addressing immediate needs while building stronger systems of support that allow individuals and communities to thrive," Tom says.
That vision is what they continue to see in WesleyLife Meals on Wheels.
More than a meal
While many people view Meals on Wheels as a nutrition program, Tom and Linda see something much larger. They see a proven community solution that helps older adults maintain well-being, independence, dignity, and connection. They see a program that reduces isolation, supports healthy aging, and creates meaningful touchpoints that can identify emerging needs before they become crises.
Most importantly, they see an opportunity to address challenges that affect not only individuals, but families, neighborhoods, healthcare systems, and communities as a whole.
"Tom and Linda are passionate about understanding impact at a deeper level," says Sophia S. Ahmad, Vice President of Philanthropy. "They want to know how a program creates change, why it matters, and how their generosity can help achieve something larger than any single gift. They are thoughtful partners who care deeply about creating meaningful, lasting outcomes."
"What resonates with us about WesleyLife is that it never loses sight of the individual while pursuing broader change. Every meal delivered, every barrier removed, and every connection made represents a person whose life is better because someone cared enough to invest in a solution. That's the kind of impact that matters to us," Linda says.
Enhanced connection
That same commitment to transformative impact inspired their support of Meals on Wheels' Client Needs Specialist. By helping identify and address barriers before they escalate, this role connects individuals with medically tailored meals and other essential supports that can dramatically improve health outcomes and quality of life. It is a powerful example of addressing root causes rather than symptoms, ensuring that vulnerable older adults receive the right support at the right time while helping build a more responsive and effective system of care.
For Tom and Linda, this is what philanthropy looks like at its best: investing in solutions that create ripple effects, strengthen the fabric of a community, and expand what's possible for future generations.
Their partnership reflects a shared belief that the most meaningful generosity does more than provide assistance. It creates opportunity. It fuels innovation. It builds stronger systems that help more people flourish.
At WesleyLife, we are grateful to count Tom and Linda as true co-creators of community impact. They bring not only generosity, but also curiosity, vision, and a deep commitment to realizing the transformational impact of their giving. Their partnership challenges us to think bigger, pursue bolder change, and continue creating pathways to well-being for older adults across the communities we serve.
Because when philanthropy is focused on transformation rather than transactions, the impact extends far beyond today. It creates a stronger future for all.
Sophia S. Ahmad, pictured above left, joined WesleyLife in 2022 to head the organization’s then-new philanthropic foundation. With extensive experience in philanthropy and external and community relations and national leadership in non-profit management, she is responsible for advancing the foundation’s goal of providing the needed resources to impact the health and well-being of older adults,
wherever they call home.
