Support will help to fight senior hunger and isolation in Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw Counties
Copper County Senior Meals (CCSM) announced today that it will be participating in the 21st annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheelsand our senior neighbors who rely on this essential service to remain healthy and independent at home, now even more so amid a lingering pandemic and high inflation. Copper County Senior Meals’ celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March.
For home bound seniors, ‘meals on wheels’ are available. This vital service not only provides a hot meal, but also a visit from a dedicated delivery person. Meals and milk can be opened, and if a senior is not home, or able to open the door, CCSM calls an emergency contact to be sure of the senior’s wellbeing. Often, this is the only social contact our home bound have, and it is very important for them to have a connection with the world outside.
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. This critical support and federal funding has fueled the growth of the Meals on Wheels network for more than 50 years.
During the month, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country will join forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the resources needed to reach every senior in need of a nutritious meal, friendly visit and safety check.
“March is an important time for us to come together to ensure that Meals on Wheels is there for all of our senior neighbors in need,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “The demand for services is already great and approximately 12,000 Americans are turning 60 every day. We must maintain and expand the programs that have helped so many get through this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. We can’t do it alone. It takes all of us to keep the nationwide Meals on Wheels movement going.”
For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute or speak out for the seniors in the Copper Country this March, visit coppercountryseniormeals.org.