Today hundreds of local government officials and business leaders delivered meals with their local Meals on Wheels programs across the country. Elected officials Mayors Walter Niedermeyer (Slatington) and Ed Hozza (Whitehall); State Representative Gary Day; Daniel Paschke Office of State Representative Justin Simmons; Lehigh County Commissioner Lisa Scheller; and Commissioners James Brown (Salisbury Township) and Roger Reis (Lower Macungie) joined local business leaders to deliver meals to Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County clients.
"We appreciate the participation of our elected officials and business leaders on our annual March for Meals delivery day. There are 7.5 million seniors across this country who are at risk of hunger. We want to ensure that no homebound adult in our community is hungry, so we use this opportunity to raise awareness of the need for home-delivered meals and our community’s financial support for the 90% of our clients who cannot afford to pay the full cost for their meals," said Pam Bechtel, Executive Director.
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 federal legislation that authorizes and supports vital senior nutrition services to Americans age 60 and older. Meals on Wheels of Lehigh County receives 5% of its funding under this program which has remained stagnant.
"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 and community leaders to continue providing the nutritious meals and human contact that our seniors so desperately depend on."
Pamela Bechtels' full remarks addressing today's volunteers and guests follow:
"Good morning and welcome to our annual March for Meals delivery day. We are thrilled to see some familiar faces and, of course, new faces.
As you might know, March for Meals is a national event initiated by the Meals on Wheels Association of America.
You are joining hundreds of others across the nation who are delivering meals to the homebound in their local communities.
We know that there are now 7.5 million seniors at risk of hunger in the United States. 7.5 million…more than 11% of our seniors.
Last year we celebrated our 40th anniversary serving the homebound in Lehigh County. Our Agency was founded by a grassroots group of citizens who learned about an elderly couple literally starving to death in their own home. They decided that this should not happen in our community.
We hope that we are serving everyone who needs us. We know that what we do saves lives and ensures independence. But the question is, can we continue to do what we are doing without more help.
Our clients receive home-delivered meals because of age, disability or illness. They are unable to find additional sources of income to pay more than they currently do. We provide a sliding fee scale to make sure no who needs us is turned away because they can’t afford our meals.
Each meal costs us $6.94 to provide, which would, of course be even higher if we did not have the most dedicated volunteers in the County. This year we need to raise over $400,000. Next year, even more
This year is the 40th anniversary that Meals on Wheels programs started receiving federal funding. We just recently started receiving this funding which fully funds 37 of our poorest clients. But, this and other government funding for critical programs is being cut or remain stagnant. Although we receive just 10% of our funding from government sources, this money is critical to our being able to serve our clients.
Luckily, we have a very caring community who has always cared for its most vulnerable. As our costs increase, and government funding decreases, we will have to ask for more help.
Today you will see the faces of the people we serve. These people are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, friends. Some worked all their lives, fought in our wars, took care of children and a home, or fought a lifelong battle with a disability.
They could be any one of us in a number of years.
When you go out today, you will experience what our daily volunteers do each day…knowing that you are the link between a homebound adult and the outside world, providing a meal and comfort. What would these people do if we could not provide our service due to lack of funding?
We hope you will go out in the community and be our ambassadors. Let people know how important our program is and whom it serves. Thank you and enjoy this day"