Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) and the Wal-Mart Foundation to supplement our daily meal program by restoring weekend meals that had been cut due to a lack of funding.  

This past year, many Meals On Wheels programs throughout the country were forced to change or reduce their services, because of severe operating constraints brought on by rising food and gas prices, and the current economic crisis.  The “MOWAA/Wal-Mart Foundation Cure Grant” is intended to alleviate these burdens for programs, such as Meals-on-Wheels, and help us restore previously meals to those who are most needy.

“With the MOWAA/Wal-Mart Foundation Cure Grant, we will be able to feed more of our senior clients in need,” said Vinsen Faris, Meals-on-Wheels Executive Director. “We are very grateful to MOWAA and the Wal-Mart Foundation for their generosity to help us better serve those in our community. We believe that hunger does not stop at the end of the business day, and this grant will help us in providing weekend meals to those who are truly isolated,” Faris added.

According to a groundbreaking national research study entitled “The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in America,” which was commissioned by the MOWAA Foundation, 1 in 9 seniors in America is at risk of hunger. The fact that 11.4 percent of seniors in the country are at risk of hunger and the fact that the population is aging at an unprecedented rate put a significant strain on community-based Meals On Wheels programs’ ability to provide meals for those in need. The “MOWAA/Wal-Mart Foundation Cure Grant Program” is intended to increase the number of individuals served and reverse the forced reduction in meal services seen at Meals On Wheels programs throughout the nation.

“Unlike cancer or AIDS, we have the cure to end senior hunger in America today,” said Enid Borden, President and CEO of MOWAA.  “We can’t thank the Wal-Mart Foundation enough for supporting us in our mission and remembering the seniors we serve during this desperate time.”

Meals-on-Wheels is a community-based nonprofit organization serving the residents of Johnson and Ellis County for 32 years. If you are interested in Meals-on-Wheels services, volunteering, or if you know of someone who could benefit from Meals-on-Wheels, please contact the office at (817) 558-2840 or
(972) 351-9943. Or, you may find more information at www.servingthechildrenofyesterday.org.

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the oldest and largest national organization in the United States representing those programs that provide meals to people in need. To obtain more information about MOWAA or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit the MOWAA website at www.mowaa.org.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and the Wal-Mart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Wal-Mart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in education, job skills training, sustainability and health and wellness. In 2007, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and the Wal-Mart Foundation gave $296 million to communities across the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.