In the past few weeks, we have received numerous calls and messages from concerned members of our community, including many from the older adults who rely on us for their daily meals, about the effect of the temporary federal funding freeze on our home delivered meal program.
At Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland, we are always advocating on behalf of older adults, whose voice is often unheard, but the call is especially urgent today. Our leaders in Congress have set a deadline of March 14th to finalize a federal spending bill. Any reduction in Older Americans Act funding would be extremely damaging, leaving many of our older adults left hungry and alone.
ACT NOW to help us protect the Older Americans Act first passed by a bipartisan Act of Congress in 1965.
Contact Your Representative Today!
Below is sample text you can use to send to your local official. Please feel free to personalize it with why meals on wheels is important to you and if you have a personal story of client to share as well.
The potential elimination of the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program funding, which Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland relies on to support the 5,000 older adults they serve, has the potential to do serious harm. I am (a volunteer, employee, family member or caregiver )and can tell you first- hand how great the need is and how this program truly saves lives.
(Tell them why you volunteer, why you donate. Tell them about the clients you see on your delivery routes, their joy and their struggles, and their fierce determination to live with independence and dignity).
Any disruption to this critical funding will have detrimental and lasting effects on older Americans who rely every day on our meal delivery and support services to live safe, healthy lives in the homes they built and the communities they enriched over their lifetime.
More importantly, evidence shows that Meals on Wheels Programs saves money. MOWs recipients spend less time in the hospitals and nursing homes and are less likely to fall or go to the emergency room. In fact, the cost of MOWS service for one year is less than the cost of a one day stay in the hospital.
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland remains committed to its mission to keep homebound aging adults living safely and independently at home. We will work tirelessly to meet any challenge to ensure our clients are well nourished and safe at home. I hope we can count on you to do the same. We must all serve together in recognition and gratitude for those who came before us and built strong, resilient, and prosperous communities.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
( Your Name)
Additional Resources
Learn How the Older American’s Act Money is Distributed:
Our Clients
By providing nutritious meals to people who are homebound and unable to shop or prepare their own meals—because of age or disability—Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland supports healthy, independent living and quality of life for people who choose to age in place.
By helping the aging and disabled remain living independently in their homes, Meals on Wheels supports their continued integration into the social fabric of the community, prevents premature institutionalization, and allows them to age in their communities with dignity.
Support Today
Join us in making a difference in the lives of Central Maryland’s aging adults. Your support ensures that we can continue to offer “More than a meal™” and create a thriving, connected community. Together, we can make sure that no aging adult feels alone or hungry. Donate now to support our mission and brighten the lives of those who’ve enriched our community for years.
EIN # 52-6074723