Governor McKee declares the Month of March as ‘March for Meals’ to Help Raise Awareness About Senior Hunger
Providence, RI, In an effort to help raise awareness about senior hunger, Governor McKee joined Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island to deliver meals to senior citizens as part of the annual “March for Meals” campaign, which aims to deliver warm meals and meaningful visits to older homebound adults.
“Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals and safety checks to seniors throughout the state that help them maintain their health and independence,” McKee said. “As governor, I get to say that in the state of Rhode Island, we proclaim March 2024 as March for Meals month and urge citizens to honor March for Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island.”
McKee was joined by Meals on Wheels leaders to celebrate the kickoff of March for Meals campaign Tuesday morning. Also, present were representatives of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.
“We will continue to work together, especially during this month of March, and move little bit closer to our vision where all older adults in the Ocean State live nourished lives with independence and dignity,” Meals on Wheels RI Executive Director Meghan Grady said.
Meals on Wheels mission is to meet the nutritional and social needs of those we serve so that they can maintain safe and independent lifestyles.
Founded in 1969, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island is the only non-profit home-delivered meal program of its kind in the state. In order to qualify for Meals on Wheels services, clients must be over the age of 60, homebound, no longer driving, unable to prepare food themselves and without a qualified caregiver who prepares meals. About 80 percent of Meals on Wheels clients are classified as “low-income or extremely-low-income,” according to an internal study by Meals on Wheels America.
The 1972 amendment to the Older Americans Act, establishing a national nutrition program for seniors, allowed expansion of this Home-Delivered Meal Program to statewide service.
In 1979, Meals on Wheels of RI marked the delivery of one million home-delivered meals.
Over the next decades, additional programming and initiatives were added to further the organization’s impact in helping clients to maintain safe and independent living, including congregate dining, pet food delivery, and delivery of holiday “wishes.”
Meals on Wheels of RI celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019, welcoming Executive Director Meghan Grady that same year. Over the next three years, the organization continued operations without disruption throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and, in summer 2022, celebrated delivery of its 20-millionth home-delivered meal.
In 2023, they are operating under MOWRI 2025, their three-year strategic plan that is guiding them to increase their statewide impact. Meals On Wheels Rhode Island, are serving more than 1,300 meals each weekday and helping more than 3,000 clients across the state, including on Block Island, to experience improved health and safety.
