Funding will help bridge gaps and expand nutrition offerings for older adults
Auburn, Calif. – Seniors First recently announced that it has received $15,000 from Meals on Wheels America, the national leadership organization supporting community-based programs across the U.S. dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger, to help bridge gaps in the availability of essential nutrition services in Placer County.
The grant is part of the organization's Meeting Unmet Need Grant Program that has the goals of meeting the nutritional needs of underserved or unserved seniors and expanding meal options to include medically- and/or culturally-tailored offerings in communities across the country.
In Placer County, the $15,00 grant will continue to fund meals given to all new and existing Seniors First adults.
"We are extremely grateful to receive such a large grant from Meals on Wheels which will allow us to continue our commitment to Placer County seniors and doing what we love. We look forward to the future of Seniors First and Meals on Wheels," said Executive Director Stephanie Vierstra
Go Further Fund
In total, $643,770 in grants were awarded to 45 local Meals on Wheels programs through the program made possible by Meals on Wheels America's Go Further Fund – a fund established in early 2021 to build momentum and support beyond COVID-19 emergency response.
"It is critical that we invest in Meals on Wheels programs' ability to expand services and reach all those in need of our More Than a Meal(r) lifeline, especially as lingering impacts of the pandemic, inflation and other factors have made the rapidly growing older adult population even more vulnerable," said Lucy Theilheimer, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer, Meals on Wheels America. "The Meals on Wheels Service Model(tm) provides the vital nutrition, safety, socialization and community connections needed to enable older adults to live independently in communities where they want to be, and local programs need continued support in meeting the demand for services."
To learn more about Seniors First's efforts to address unmet need in Placer County, visit Seniors First – Caring for the Senior Community.