CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners recently signed a proclamation declaring March 2023 as the 21st Annual March for Meals Month.
Mature Resources Area Agency on Aging (MRAAA) has announced that it will participate in the month-long, nation-wide celebration of Meals on Wheels and 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.
MRAAA’s celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March, including local elected officials making guest deliveries with Meals on Wheels, and special recognition of drivers.
“We have been inspired by the outpouring of support from our community, but there is still much we can do to assure everyone in need of this vital lifeline can benefit from being well-nourished and more connected to our community through this challenging time and beyond,” said Kathleen Gillespie, chief executive officer of MRAAA.
Meals on Wheels serves around 800 hot meals to individuals in Clearfield County each day.
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 have 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 nation-wide Meals on Wheels movement going.”
For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute, or speak out for the seniors in your community this March, visit https://www.mraaa.life/ or call 814-765-2696.
The MRAAA contracts with Morrison Living, an international food service provider, to supply the 800 hot, nutritious meals each day, which are prepared fresh in the kitchen at the agency’s Curwensville facility.
In addition to hot meals, each year Blizzard Boxes are packed and delivered to home-bound Meals on Wheels recipients across the county.
A combination of non-perishable foods, they are packaged and delivered at the onset of winter. Consumers are encouraged to store the meals in a safe place to use as a backup for stormy winter days when the Meals on Wheels staff may be unable to deliver a hot meal.
