It’s all about providing a smile and a good meal to the elderly in the Coweta County community. Mayors from across Coweta joined volunteers from Meals on Wheels of Coweta (MOWOC) on March 21 for the Mayors for Meals event.
“We were excited about having the Coweta mayors participate in our Mayors for Meals Day event,” said Peggy Holloway, Meals on Wheels of Coweta board member. “This is the first time Coweta County participated. Our mayors know the importance of our program to the citizens of Coweta and their help in getting the community to step forward to become program volunteers will allow us to reach many more elder citizens that need home delivered meals. Each mayor was accompanied by current Meals On Wheels volunteers as they delivered meals to Coweta clients and see firsthand how our program works.”
March For Meals is a national campaign during the month of March initiated by the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) which seeks to raise awareness of senior hunger and to encourage action on the part of the local community.
This year, Meals On Wheels programs across the country are also celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the inclusion of Senior Nutrition Programs in the Older Americans Act (OAA). The OAA is the primary piece of federal legislation that authorizes and supports vital nutrition services, both congregate and Meals On Wheels, to Americans age 60 and older.
“We thank these local leaders for stepping up to the plate and joining our mission to end senior hunger in America by the year 2020,” said MOWAA President and CEO Enid Borden. “Meals On Wheels programs are on the front lines of our battle and need support from elected leaders to continue providing the nutritious meals and human contact that our seniors so desperately depend on.”
Meals on Wheels of Coweta is a non-profit organization and a member of the Meals on Wheels Association of America and the Meals on Wheels Association of Georgia. MOWOC is designated as the official Coweta County Chapter of Meals on Wheels.
MOWOC is supported by donations from the community and by grant funds from the United Way and is staffed mainly by volunteers and no city, county, or state funds are received. Current funding and volunteer staffing levels are too low to support more clients and we are reaching out to the community for help so that we can reach all the elder citizens of Coweta County that need home delivered meals.
Holloway said Meals on Wheels of Coweta focuses on serving older adults who are most at risk for poor nutrition and declining health; those who are homebound because of illness or disability or are on home hospice care; and those who are no longer able to prepare meals for themselves. The goal is to help clients live as independently and safely as possible, for as long as possible, in their own homes, Holloway said.
For more information on Meals for Wheels of Coweta and how to become involved or make a donation by visiting the MOWOC website at www.mealsonwheelsofcoweta.org
