Written by: John DeRousie / Custom Marketing Solutions
FULTON, NY – Oswego County Opportunities’ Senior Services is asking Oswego County residents to be a part of its annual March for Meals campaign and join them in their pledge to end senior hunger by 2020.
OCO’s March for Meals campaign helps to raise the awareness of senior hunger in our community and serves as a fundraiser to help support the agency’s Home Delivered Meal Service.
Program services coordinator Trinity Engle said that this year the campaign is encouraging community members to support OCO’s Home Delivered Meal Service by pledging to end senior hunger by 2020.
“We are inviting everyone in our community to visit one of our eight senior dining and activity centers or at our administrative offices at 239 Oneida St. and sign a pledge to end senior hunger by 2020,” said Engle. “We will also be accepting donations throughout the month. It costs approximately $5 to feed one homebound senior for one day. We will gladly accept donations of any size to help us continue our Home Delivered Meal Service.”
Engle added that the movement to end senior hunger by 2020 officially began last year at the annual Meals on Wheels conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
Agencies from across the county brought tablecloths with the names of those who pledged to support the movement to end senior hunger.
Engle placed OCO’s Pledge Tablecloth besides the others at the hunger rally in Atlanta’s.
The tablecloths helped demonstrate how serious the agencies and their supporters are about ending senior hunger by 2020.
This year OCO is asking community members to go online to help raise awareness of the Meals on Wheels Association of America’s mission to end senior hunger in America.
According to Engle, more than 10,000 people across the county have taken the pledge.
“The Meals on Wheels Association of America has made it easier than ever to join the movement to end senior hunger in America by making it possible to do so online. By visiting their website, www.mowaa.org, individuals will be able to take the pledge, which is absolutely free; follow what MOWAA is doing to help senior hunger on Twitter and follow MOWAA on Facebook to see photos, videos, and updates from Meals On Wheels programs across the country and help spread the word about MOWAA’s mission to end senior hunger. It’s a great way to connect with others who believe in this worthwhile cause!” said Engle.
OCO is also inviting mayors and community leaders from throughout Oswego County to assist them by helping deliver meals to seniors on Mayors For Meals Day.
On March 23, mayors will have the opportunity to ride along with OCO’s Meals on Wheels drivers and deliver meals to seniors in their community.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the mayors and community leaders to meet some of their constituents and see firsthand the value of the Meals on Wheels program,” added Engle.
Administered through OCO’s Senior Services and funded in part through Oswego County Office for the Aging, the Home Delivered Meal Service provides delivery of nutritious meals to Oswego County residents who are homebound.
Program participants receive two nutritionally balanced meals a day up to five days a week.
Holiday meals are also available for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
In addition, OCO’s Senior Services administers eight dining and activity centers where seniors can enjoy a hot, nutritious noontime meal and visit with friends.
These centers are located in Fulton, Sandy Creek, Oswego, Mexico, Hannibal, Parish, Phoenix and Constantia.
For more information on OCO’s March for Meals campaign or OCO’s Senior Nutrition Services, call Engle at 598-4712.
OCO is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966 and touches the lives of more than 20,000 people annually.
It is a United Way of Greater Oswego County member agency.
For more information, visit www.oco.org
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