Aging Matters In Brevard Joins In Month-Long March For Meals Celebration With Communities Nationwide

Cocoa, FL  (February 15, 2019) – Aging Matters in Brevard announced today that it will be participating in the 17^th Annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meals on Wheels and our senior neighbors who rely on the vital service to remain healthy and independent at home.  Sheriff Wayne Ivey will serve as Honorary Chairman of the awareness campaign to help fight senior hunger and isolation in Brevard County.  Aging Matters in Brevard’s celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March.

Members of the media are invited to join invited elected officials, business and community leaders, Sheriff Ivey, and our Board of Directors for a VIP Kick-Off Ceremony on March 1 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. at The Kitchen (455 Rosa L. Jones Drive, Rockledge).  At The Kitchen, a dedicated team of staff and volunteers prepare nearly 1,500 hot, nutritious meals from scratch daily for local Brevard seniors.  The Kitchen also provides all of the meals for Brevard County’s emergency operations center and special needs shelters during hurricanes and other disasters.  Invited guests will experience Aging Matters in Brevard’s mission in action first-hand with a behind-the-scenes look during our exclusive “More than a Meal” tour!

March for Meals “Community Champions Week” will be March 18-22.  During this special week of March, prominent community figures will help deliver meals, speak out for seniors, and raise awareness about the power of Meals on Wheels.

“The services we provide are a lifeline for seniors in Brevard County and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Josh Jensen, president and CEO of Aging Matters in Brevard.  “Together, we can keep our senior neighbors well-nourished, feeling safer and more connected to our community as they age.”

Hospice of St. Francis is a sponsor of the event.  “A large percentage of our patients receive care in their homes.  Our staff members – chaplains, nurses, social workers, and aids witness the tremendous impact that the Meals on Wheels program makes for our home-bound patients.  We are honored to support the March for Meals campaign so that this service which brings comfort to the body and a friendly visit to help nourish the spirits can grow to meet the needs of our community,” said Joe Killian, President and CEO of Hospice of St. Francis.

The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for over the age of 60. Since 2002, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country have joined forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the support needed to meet the growing need for this vital service.

“The month of March is a fitting time to not only celebrate the successful history of Meals on Wheels, but also bring us together to support a solution that will strengthen communities into the future,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “With 12,000 Americans turning 60 each day, now is the time to invest in these vital programs so that we can provide every senior in need with the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that will enable them to live healthier and independent in their own homes.”

For more information on how to volunteer, contribute, or speak out for the seniors in Brevard this March, visit www.agingmattersbrevard.org/events/marchformeals.

About Aging Matters in Brevard:

Aging Matters in Brevard (www.agingmattersbrevard.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging as the Lead Agency for senior services in Brevard County.  Established in 1965, Aging Matters in Brevard’s mission is to promote and maintain independence and maximize quality of life for the citizens of Brevard County, particularly the elderly and disabled.  Services are funded by federal, state, and local grants (eligibility requirements may apply) and through the generous support of our community. Private pay services are also available.

 In 2018, Aging Matters in Brevard served 4,774 clients in 2018 covering all programs, including Meals on Wheels, Seniors at Lunch, Home and Community Based Services, Home Care, Senior TranServe, Vets-Driving-Vets, Housing Improvement, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Sunflower House Senior and Caregiver Resource Center.

About Aging Matters in Brevard’s Senior Nutrition Program:

 In 2018, hot, nutritious meals were served to 1,821 seniors receiving Meals on Wheels or attending a neighborhood Seniors at Lunch meal site.

• Meals on Wheels volunteers delivered 138,127 meals to 1,152 homebound seniors.
• Five hundred and seventy-seven (577) Meals on Wheels volunteers donated 57,166 hours of service and traveled 354,583 miles.
• At twelve neighborhood dining sites, 669 Seniors at Lunch participants were served 58,800 meals.
• A total of 187 Seniors at Lunch volunteers donated 12,559 hours of service.