Weekend Meals for Homebound Seniors

A weekend meal client recently sent us this note: "It is so comforting to know that I will be getting a good hot meal every day, especially since cooking for myself is more of a challenge. What I look froward to the most is seeing the people who deliver my meals. They are so friendly and helpful and I am so lonely."

Hot weekend meals for homebound seniors is more than just a meal. It is a connection to the outside world, a friendly smile, a hug, a lifeline for those that are isolated and living in poverty. For the seniors we serve in this program, the meal we bring is often their only food of the day and the volunteer driver is their only visit of the day. Hot weekend meals allow frail, homebound seniors to remain independent and living in their own homes. The cost of Meals on Wheels for a year is $1,320 while the cost of a year in institutional care is upwards of $60,000.

We continue to deliver hot weekend meals to homebound seniors as well as provide chilled, take-home weekend meals for seniors at our 34 neighborhood dining centers who request them. As baby boomers continue to age and enter the ranks of retirement, we are adapting our program to meet their needs. More than 50% of those who eat in our dining rooms are requesting take-home meals for the weekends. This is due partly to the rising rate of poverty among those 60 and older (upwards of 25%) and the fact that many have no source of fresh food for a variety of reasons (food deserts, poverty, living alone, etc.). 

We are extremely grateful to Global Giving and its donors for helping us continue to provide this very basic service to vulnerable seniors in our community.