Carson City Meals on Wheels launches month-long 'March for Meals' campaign
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sat, 03/02/2024 - 12:12pm
Event Date:
Repeats every week until Sun Mar 31 2024 .
March 1, 2024 (All day)
March 8, 2024 (All day)
March 15, 2024 (All day)
March 22, 2024 (All day)
March 29, 2024 (All day)
Meals on Wheels Carson City, operated by the Carson City Senior Center, is launching a month-long March for Meals fundraising campaign for Meal on Wheels. The timing of the March campaign is symbolic as it commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older.
The Carson City Senior Center has been operating its senior nutrition program since 1975.
Meals on Wheels provides Carson City senior residents with a vital lifeline — a warm meal, a friendly visitor to check in on their well-being, and access to other services to help them to remain healthy and independent at home. “Without Meals on Wheels, we wouldn’t eat well at all. I am too tired and lack the energy and stamina to cook daily, let alone on a healthy basis,” stated a Meals on Wheels participant. “Besides that, it’s great knowing we’ll see a friendly face daily during the week.”
Meals on Wheels is on track to deliver over 100,000 meals this year. The team of six delivery drivers head out on four routes five days a week to make their deliveries. The program is largely funded by grants; however, the cost to deliver one meal exceeds the reimbursement rate almost by double. The gap between grant funding reimbursement and actual cost averages to $3.31 per meal. The program must fund this per meal difference through fundraisers, charitable donations, and gifts from the community and businesses.
Costs to prepare and deliver the meals are on the rise, combined with an increase in demand for meals, which has caused the program to activate a waitlist. “We currently screen all inquiries and prioritize them based on their risk of going hungry. Those of high priority are added to the program usually within 14 to 30 days while those of lower risk are waiting months to be added to the program,” said Courtney Warner, Executive Director of the Carson City Senior Center.
“We are grateful for our community champions who have supported us throughout the years,” stated Warner. “Meals on Wheels is proud of our support from Carson Valley Inn, Bodine’s, Slot World, Caesar’s Foundation (Harrah’s & Harvey’s), Carson City Toyota, Southwest Gas, Snap-on Tools Community Involvement Team, Vineburg Machining Inc., Tahoe Fence Company, Kaemper Crowell, Ayr Wellness, Lisa Williams, City of Carson City, Aging and Disability Services Division, and the community for their gifts.”
The March for Meals campaign’s goal is to bring awareness not only of the services the program provides, but also to the community to donate and support Meals on Wheels. “Not only are we providing a nutritious and fresh meal, our team of amazing Meals on Wheels delivery drivers are the only visitors many of our participants have each day. We deliver more than a meal and need the community support to keep growing,” said Warner. “If we can count on the community to donate to Meals on Wheels, we hope to get those who are at high risk of going hungry receive meals immediately. No gift is too small and directly fights senior hunger and isolation in Carson City.”
For more information on how you can contribute, visit www.carsoncityseniorcenter.org, call (775) 883-0703 or mail to Carson City Senior Center, 911 Beverly Drive., Carson City, NV 89706.
