Fort Bend Seniors Celebrates March For Meals With Special Deliveries
Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels announced today that it will be participating in the 21st annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal 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 On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, local community leaders will participate in a Community Champions Celebration, delivering meals to homebound seniors in our area.
“In the last year, we have experienced a 31% increase in new clients in Fort Bend and Waller Counties,” said Bob Hebert, Executive Director of FBS. “We are in awe of the outpouring of support from our local communities, and there’s still much we can do to ensure everyone in need of our vital services can benefit from being well-nourished and more connected to our community through this challenging time and beyond.” In 2022, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels served 364,680 meals to over 2,200 seniors in our local community.
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 nationwide Meals on Wheels movement going.”
For more information about March for Meals, contact Kristie Phillips, Director of Development, at 281-633-7741 or kristie@fortbendseniors.org.
About Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels
Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, a United Way Agency, is committed to helping seniors remain independent by enhancing their quality of life through services and resources. FBS provides hot, home-delivered meals to more than 1,200 senior citizens daily, many who live alone and cannot prepare their own meals. In addition, FBS offers older adults meals from 8 congregate sites – or senior centers, transportation to and from the centers, health screenings and recreational activities all at no cost to seniors 60 years or older.
Fort Bend Seniors is qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code as a non-profit corporation, and as such contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent as allowed by law. For more information about Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, visit www.fortbendseniors.org.
