Support will help to fight senior hunger and isolation in Santa Clara county
San Jose, CA, March 1, 2019 – The Health Trust Meals on Wheels announced today that it will be participating in the 17th annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and our senior neighbors who rely on the vital service to remain health and independent at home.
”The services we provide are a lifeline for seniors of Santa Clara County and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Teresa Johnson, Director of The Health Trust Meals on Wheels. “Together, we can keep our senior neighbors well-nourished, feeling safer and more connected to our community as they age.”
Meals on Wheels has been a program of The Health Trust since 1996. Since then, The Health Trust Meals on Wheels has been delivering nutritious meals and offering wellness checks to older adults and adults with disabilities throughout Santa Clara County. Last year, 89,153 meals were delivered and 57,949 wellness checks were performed for 636 Meals on Wheels clients.
The annual March for Meals celebration 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. Since 2002, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country have joined forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the support needed to fill the gap between the seniors served and those still in need.
“The month of March is a fitting time to not only celebrate the successful history of Meals on Wheels, but also bring us together to support a solution that will strengthen communities into the future,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “With 12,000 Americans turning 60 each day, now is the time to invest in these vital programs so that we can provide every senior in need with the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that will enable them to live healthier and independent in their own homes.”
For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute or speak out for the seniors in Santa Clara County this March, visit healthtrust.org.
###
About The Health Trust Meals on Wheels
The Health Trust Meals on Wheels delivers hot nutritious meals and offers wellness checks to seniors, adults with disabilities and homebound individuals. This past year, 89,153 meals were delivered and 57,949 wellness checks were performed for 636 Meals on Wheels clients throughout multiple cities in Santa Clara County. To learn more, please healthtrust.org/provider/food/.
About The Health Trust
The Health Trust is an operating foundation founded in 1996. Our mission is to build health equity in Silicon Valley. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy – especially the most vulnerable. To that end, we fund community-based organizations and public agencies whose work aligns with our mission, provide direct services, and advocate for policies and initiatives that help advance our mission. To learn more, please visit healthtrust.org.