Much-needed grant means a brighter future for local efforts to feed homebound seniors
(October 7, 2011), (Conroe, TX) – The Friendship Center has been awarded $20,000 through a Walmart Foundation grant to the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). The money will provide The Friendship Center with a much-needed Meals On Wheels delivery vehicle, which is critical to continue serving seniors.
This financial support is desperately needed as many Meals On Wheels programs across the country continue to struggle with skyrocketing gasoline costs and rising food prices. The Walmart Foundation-MOWAA “Building the Future” Impact Grants will allow The Friendship Center to buy equipment and help ensure sustainability while fostering long-term growth.
“The Friendship Center is extremely grateful for The Walmart Foundation-MOWAA Building the Future Impact Grant. It has provided us a new fuel-efficient vehicle which allows the agency to deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors in a timely manner. The number of senior adults in need of Meals On Wheels service is steadily increasing, so having the generous support for the program from The Walmart Foundation and The Meals On Wheels Association of America provides a very positive local impact in Montgomery County,” said Anna Vidaurri, Executive Director of The Friendship Center.
The Walmart Foundation recently announced a $5 million donation to MOWAA as part of a $2 billion commitment to support hunger relief efforts through 2015. Part of that $5 million donation will fund the “Building the Future” Impact Grants. The grants will help more than 100 local Meals On Wheels programs purchase stoves, refrigerators, trucks and other equipment needed in the fight to end senior hunger.
The Walmart Foundation first became a partner of Meals On Wheels in 2008. A donation of $750,000 to MOWAA helped 80 struggling Member programs restore meal services that had been reduced or were facing cuts. In late 2009, the Foundation donated an additional $2.2 million to MOWAA that helped 147 Member programs expand their meal services with new equipment.
“We know that seniors are among those hardest hit by hunger in this country. Many are home-bound, and rely on neighbors and community volunteer programs like Meals On Wheels to help put food on the table,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “Through this $5 million grant, we hope to bring additional attention to senior hunger and help ensure our parents, grandparents and friends who have added so much to our lives have access to healthy and nutritious food.”
“The Walmart Foundation continues to step up to the plate in the fight against senior hunger,” said Enid Borden, President and CEO of MOWAA. “They understand that joining Meals On Wheels in this battle is a moral imperative. The Walmart Foundation’s generous support helps ensure our programs sustain meal services well into the future. We can’t thank the Walmart Foundation enough for being such a powerful partner in our mission to end senior hunger in America by the year 2020.”
Research sponsored by MOWAA reveals that more than six million seniors in America face the threat of hunger. The Walmart Foundation-MOWAA “Building the Future” Impact Grant program is intended to help combat the problem of senior hunger.
The Friendship Center (TFC) recently hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Meals On Wheels vehicle sponsored by The Walmart Foundation-MOWAA “Building the Future” Impact Grant.
Pictured left to right: TFC MOW Coordinator Sherry Burgess, TFC Executive Director Anna Vidaurri, College Park Wal-Mart Store Employees Cheryl McConnachie and Uylonda Antwine, Conroe Wal-Mart Store Employees Aaron Weddington and Marie Thurman, and TFC Director of Operations Susan Bond.
About The Friendship Center:
The Montgomery County Committee on Aging, doing business as The Friendship Center (TFC) was established in 1973 and is the only non-profit organization specifically dedicated to serving the needs and enriching the lives of seniors throughout Montgomery County, Texas. Core services include a variety of programs that seek to meet the social, physical, and emotional needs of seniors 60 years of age and older. To obtain more information about TFC, visit the TFC website at www.tfc-seniorservices.org.
About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart and the Walmart 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 Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Walmart – and its domestic and international foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.