When I saw my mother this Mother’s Day, I made sure to ask all the right questions: Was she taking her medication? Did she get out to see friends often? Was she getting enough to eat? A quick check of her fridge assured me that she was in no danger of malnutrition, but it got me wondering — how many seniors can say the same? Her elderly neighbor, for example, would be actively fighting hunger if it were not for Meals on Wheels.
On May 8, 2012, TV Icons Linda Evans of Dynasty and Linda Gray of Dallas joined Congresswomen Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) at Capitol Hill for MoWAA’s second annual Mother’s Day Event, “Meals for Mom”. The Congresswomen are honorary co-chairs of the newly created National Alliance of Women Against Senior Hunger (NAWASH). Joining them were other members of Congress, who signed Mother’s Day cards for constituents, which were delivered along with nutritious meals by Meals On Wheels program volunteers in their Congressional districts.
The Meals on Wheels Association of America has made its mission to eradicate senior hunger by 2020. According to its latest research, 8.3 million seniors in the United States face the threat of hunger. The majority of those affected are women. For those living alone, and especially those without family, the volunteers for Meals on Wheels bring not only food, but may be these seniors’ only contact with the outside world.
Enid Borden, President and CEO of the Meals On Wheels Association of America, is calling for help in the form of volunteers and donations in order to help her reach her lifelong goal — making sure that no senior goes hungry, especially in this land of plenty. Check out the Meals on Wheels website to read about their initiatives and projects to check out the myriad of opportunities available for you to help.
In these times of government budget cuts, it’s more imperative than ever that we pull together as a community and make sure that no senior lives without proper nutrition or ever goes hungry.
