Weekend Meals for Homebound Seniors

"Sam" is widowed and lives alone. After her husband died suddenly, she found herself lonely and depressed. She began to attend the the senior meal site in Gresham, Oregon where she was soon engaged as a daily volunteer. 

“There is no question that the people at the Ambleside Center were a lifeline for me and helped me through my depression,” Sam said. “Before I knew it, I was volunteering! I can’t do the whole job – I know I have limitations – but I do what I can and they welcome what skills I do have.”

Sam recently fell at home and broke a couple of ribs and is now receiving Meals on Wheels. “I’m seeing the program from an entirely different angle now,” she said with a laugh. “Some of the volunteers I saw at the center every day are now delivering my meals. It’s interesting to see the different personalities of the drivers. I can see how a little friendly visit can make a world of difference to a homebound senior.”

Sam is one of thousands of seniors we serve daily -- and who depend on Meals on Wheels for both daily sustenance and a friendly visit. This service is even more vital for those, like Sam, who receive meals on the weekends as well. They typically have no access to fresh food other than what the Meals on Wheels People volunteer brings them. For many, the only whole fruit they see is what comes in their lunch. The cost of providing a year of meals to a homebound senior is $1,320 while the cost of institutional care is upwards of $60,000 annually. Meals on Wheels allows seniors to age in place, enriching our neighborhoods and allowing them to maintain their dignity. We are very appreciative of the many donations that have come in from Global Giving to help us maintain this program.

Our participant surveys indicate that 20% of the seniors who receive Weekend Meals are eating only one meal a day - the one we bring them. These seniors would go hungry on the weekends if not for the Weekend Meal Program. We received this note from a senior who receives weekend meals: "Thank you so much for coming to my rescue. You do a good deed and I hope people see the good you do."

More than 25% of those we serve live at or below poverty and most do not have access to fresh food. Our hot,nutritious meals not only provide them with 1/3 of the RDA for an older adult, but include fresh, whole fruit like oranges and pears. Hot weekend meals allow frail, homebound seniors to remain independent and living in their own homes. Many chronic conditions can be aided by a nutritious diet.The cost to provide a year of meals to a homebound senior is $1,320 while the cost of a year in a nursing home is upwards of $60,000. 

The number of seniors requesting Meals on Wheels has increased bynearly 8% in the last year. An interesting trend is that a large part of this increase is among "younger" seniors age 60 to 69. Most have not prepared financially for retirement and they are sicker than those the same age a decade ago. As baby boomers continue to age, we have the capacity to expand our program to meet the growing need. This is due, in part, to the generous donations like those that come from Global Giving. We are grateful for your support of seniors in our community.