Our seniors in Salem County are isolated and lonely. Many only see our dedicated volunteers delivering their daily meals who offer a warm smile and a conversation to ease the social isolation and depression that many of them are feeling.
Meals on Wheels of Salem County is more than a meal.
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, our seniors were struggling and now their struggle is amplified. We saw a 75% increase of older adults experiencing food insecurity, and many seniors are lonelier than before the pandemic with 23.8% of New Jersey’s seniors living in isolation. And while hunger and isolation can affect anyone with limited mobility and declining health, financial strain makes them much worse, with 28% of our participants live below the federal poverty line and 63% living at or just below it.
Luckily, there is something you can do to help our vulnerable Salem County Seniors. We are humbled to tell you that your donation up to $20,000 is being matched by The Salem Health & Wellness Foundation.
It only costs $10.00 for Meals on Wheels of Salem County to deliver a nutritious meal and friendly check-in to our disabled and homebound seniors.
- Your gift of $10 provides 1 meal and care.
- Your gift of $25 provides 3 meals and care.
- Your gift of $50 provides 5 meals and care.
As you know, Salem County is a very rural area in our state and our participants are either elderly or disabled and homebound. They can neither prepare their own food, shop, nor take advantage of congregate feeding sites, such as those at senior centers, food pantries or the like. They not only have low quantities of food available to them, but also low quality since many live in food deserts. Many of these individuals often will be forced to eat nutritionally poor snack foods, high in sodium and sugar that negatively affect their ability to maintain or improve their health.
With the lasting impacts of the pandemic still being felt, we face a long road to recovery, and seniors will continue to need your support. Gifts from you and other generous supporters are essential in helping us stay connected by providing them with nutritious meals, safety checks and friendly visits.
Please consider taking a moment to help your homebound neighbors in need.
We now all know what it is like to be stranded in our homes and not being able to go out in the world due to the stay at home order of the pandemic. Imagine that you are one of our homebound participants and that is your everyday life. It’s not right – and it’s not healthy especially for older adults. So many of our participants already have health challenges or disabilities due to age or illness, so it’s even more important for them to continue to have meals with solid nutrition that are medically therapeutic.
Please give now when just $10 provides a meal and check-in which will be matched by our generous donor, The Salem Health & Wellness Foundation.
Imagine the impact you will have on one of your neighbors in Salem County. Your donation will provide nourishing meals and wellness and safety checks that are priceless to keeping our participants healthy.