Fayette Senior Services’ annual Meals On Wheels Project Love campaign is underway. This fundraiser helps raise money for holiday meals to be delivered to homebound seniors in our community.
It’s hard to imagine that so many elderly in Fayette County are not only going hungry simply because they have difficulty preparing a meal, but also do not have any type of holiday meal that many of us take for granted. However, many are going through this very situation. Fayette County has a large number of seniors that live alone and are battling health conditions that make the simple tasks of preparing a nutritious meal a great challenge. Additionally, some have very limited income, making it difficult to maintain a healthy diet while making sure they have the crucial medications they need as well.
For more than 30 years, Fayette Senior Services’ Meals On Wheels program has ensured that no senior in Fayette County goes hungry or is without the ability to have proper nutrition.
Each year, a team of dedicated volunteers deliver over 50,000 meals to more than 300 homebound and semi-homebound older adults who reside throughout Fayette County. The general funding Fayette Senior Services receives annually for its Meals On Wheels program only covers the cost of weekday non-holiday meals. This funding, unfortunately, does not provide for additional holiday meals, which is why Fayette Senior Services participates in an annual Project Love Holiday Meal Campaign that serves to bridge this gap.
With support from residents and the business community, hundreds of seniors will experience the love our community offers as well as the comfort and joy of having a nutritious meal on holidays throughout the year. Fayette Senior Services’ Meals on Wheels Coordinator Natalie Hynson is overwhelmed by the constant support of this invaluable service in our community.
“With so many causes to donate to this holiday season, it can be hard to choose. You can never go wrong with helping our community’s most vulnerable – homebound seniors,” said Hynson. “Make a difference in the life of someone’s family, grandmother or grandfather and loved one, who is helpless without the support of others.”
Meals On Wheels provides much more than a nutritious meal to seniors. For many, Meals On Wheels is a lifeline to help them continue to live independently in their own home with dignity and respect. For seniors who live alone without family nearby, each meal delivery is often the only social contact they may regularly receive. This important connection to the community provides a “wellness check” to ensure the overall well-being of our community’s seniors.
Fayette Senior Services is calling on individuals and businesses to donate to Project Love to help purchase extra holiday meals for Fayette’s Meals On Wheels recipients. Donations also provide doctor-prescribed Ensure dietary supplements, as well as additional “shelf meals” – non-refrigerated meals that can be kept on the shelf in the event of an emergency or for times that meals are unable to be delivered due to severe inclement weather. Each meal meets the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), and meals for special dietary restrictions are available for recipients. Together, we can make the difference in the lives of so many.
For as little as $10, two meals can be provided for a senior. There is no limit to the number of meals that can be purchased and general donations are welcomed. Donation forms and additional information can be found at www.fayss.org and at a Fayette Senior Services’ location, 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville or 203 McIntosh Trail in Peachtree City. All donations are tax deductible.
For more information on Fayette Senior Services, visit www.fayss.org or call 770-461-0813.
