MEALS ON WHEELS
“Together, We Can Deliver” - That is the tagline for the Meals on Wheels network made up of over 5,000 community-based programs across the United States as the organization addresses the issues of senior hunger and isolation. This 501(C)(3) recognizes that seniors are at greater risk of hunger and malnutrition, that the senior population is growing and changing rapidly, and that older Americans are living longer with less money – all enhancing the value from the Meals on Wheels program which starts with a meal and delivers so much more.
Here are some of the facts to ponder in focusing on this need among the aging community:
- 1 in 4 Americans is over 60 with 12,000 more turning 60 every day. This population will reach 93M in the next decade.
- Seniors on fixed incomes are especially vulnerable to increases in inflation and cost of living so the impact in this time of the highest inflation in 40 years in America is substantial.
- 1 in 2 seniors living alone lacks the income to pay for basic needs with 10M seniors threatened by or experiencing hunger.
- Seniors are at a higher risk of malnutrition due to decreased appetite, mobility issues, prescription medication costs and more.
And here is what the Meals on Wheels solutions delivers:
- More than 247 million meals and 2.8 million seniors are served annually.
- The frequent in-home visits help keep 8 out of 10 recipients who have previously fallen from falling again.
- 2 out of 3 recipients say the meals make up more than half of the food eaten each day.
- The frequent visits help combat social isolation among seniors, enhancing their feeling of well-being and personal satisfaction.
- The program can serve a senior for an entire year at about the same cost as ONE DAY in the hospital or just 10 DAYS in a nursing home.
CTE Gives Back! Program charity dollars for March 2023 are happily given to Meals on Wheels! Bon Appetit!
For additional info on this remarkable organization, we invite you to visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
