CLEARFIELD — Along with a hot meal, Meals on Wheels’ 493 clients will receive a keepsake with their holiday meals.
The young people at Penn Highlands Behavioral Health Child and Adolescent Unit created Christmas ornaments that were dropped off recently at Mature Resources Area Agency on Aging.
Dennis Biancuzzo, MRAAA director of business development, said that 79 ornaments were assembled at the Behavioral Health and Child Adolescent Unit campus in DuBois.
The kids who participated in the project worked on them for over a week.
Each ornament includes a card signed by a youth in the program, which encourages at-risk youngsters to focus on mental health while providing cheer to a senior.
“The beauty of this is the Meals on Wheels recipients in DuBois are receiving a personalized holiday keepsake,” Biancuzzo said.
Meals on Wheels Volunteer Coordinator Tom Harris said many clients do not have family or anyone to give them gifts this time of year, so this is a very special treat for them.
The venture follows our intergenerational tenets, which include a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult; a safe place to learn and grow; a healthy start and a healthy future; and working with peers to give back to their community, Biancuzzo said.
Meals on Wheels clients are home-bound, elderly or disabled people who cannot cook for themselves. They must meet certain criteria to qualify.
