“We are currently serving more than 450 seniors in Catawba County with meals each day through either the Home Delivered Meals Program, which uses volunteers to deliver hot, prepared meals to homebound seniors or the Frozen Meal Program that provides frozen food that can be prepared for eating at a later time,” said Jan Shaffer, Social Work Supervisor with Catawba County Social Services. “The current economic conditions have led to budget constraints that have challenged us to continue providing these meals. We need help from everyone in our community who is able to sponsor a meal for a day, a week or even a month. We hope that, as citizens are making a Christmas gift list for this year, many will place meals for seniors at the top of their list.”

The cost to sponsor meals for seniors participating in the Meals on Wheels Program is just $2.75 per meal. A week’s worth of meals may be sponsored for just $19.25 and a full month for only $85.25.

“Many of these senior citizens are at risk of poor nutrition”, Shaffer said. “Since they can’t afford to purchase all the food they need, many skip meals or may eat few fruits and vegetables. Some of these folks end up with additional or worse health problems. The Home Delivered Meals and Frozen Meal programs help our homebound elderly get the nutrition they need. But the programs themselves need help to remain fully in operation.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor meals may send a check, payable to Catawba County Social Services, to CCDSS, Attention; Jan Shaffer, Social Work Supervisor, P.O. Box 669, Newton, North Carolina 28658.

To learn more about the program, you may call 828-695-5617.