Fayette Senior Services gets grant from Meals on Wheels and Walmart

Tue, 03/03/2009 - 5:07pm
By: The Citizen

Fayette Senior Services has been awarded a $9,845.00 grant from Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) and the Wal-Mart Foundation to support our local Meals On Wheels program in doing what we do best…feed seniors. 

This past year, many Meals On Wheels programs 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 some of these burdens for Fayette Senior Services and help us maintain our nutrition services to better serve our seniors in Fayette County.

“With the MOWAA/Wal-Mart Foundation Cure Grant, we will be able to feed more homebound seniors who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. Fayette County has the third fastest growing senior population in metro Atlanta. Thanks to MOWAA, the Wal-Mart Foundation, and the overall support from our community, we will continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Fayette County seniors,” said Debbie Britt, Executive Director of Fayette Senior Services.
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."

Founded in 1978, Fayette Senior Services is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that offers older adults the opportunity to be involved in a variety of social, leisure, and educational activities at its Life Enrichment Center located at 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville. The agency also helps improve the quality of life of seniors with specialized needs through programs such as Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Referral Service, Information & Assistance, Transportation, In-Home/Personal Services, and Case Management. For more information call 770-461-0813 or visit www.fayss.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.

login to post comments