Big Wheels Keep On Rollin'

The Mid-East Area Agency on Aging (MEAAA), whose Meals on Wheels program provides 2,700 nutritious daily meals each week to homebound area seniors throughout the region, announced it has received a $5,000 donation form AT&T to support its annual Big Wheels for Meals Campaign. The month-long campaign is scheduled for March 2017 and is led by local business and political officials, including AT&T-Missouri President John Sondag.

“Making sure that all of our neighbors are safe and have the nutrition they need every day is an essential component of a caring community,” said Sondag. “AT&T is proud to support the Mid-East Area Agency’s efforts to help these seniors maintain their health and independence.” Sondag is serving as an honorary chair of the campaign along with John Beck, General Manager of Emmis Communications, and John Sheehan, General Manager of CBS Radio.

During the Big Wheels for Meals Campaign, volunteer business executives and local elected officials spend a day delivering meals as a way to generate greater awareness of and support for MEAAA’s signature program. “Meals on Wheels is totally a volunteer-led program, so having prominent people like John Sondag and others find time in their busy schedules to help out really underscores the need for this program,” explained Mary Schaefer, executive director of MEAAA. “Our hope is that others in the community will be inspired to get involved as well, as volunteers or by making a financial donation.”

Those interested in providing support or volunteering should contact MEAAA at 636- 207-1323 or www.agingmissouri.org.

The AT&T gift will be used to help purchase meals that are delivered to homebound seniors in Jefferson, Franklin, St. Charles and St. Louis Counties. Schaefer noted that there are an estimated 60,000 senior citizens in the region who do not have enough to eat each day. “Due to increasing costs and rising demand,” she added, “we need more community support to ensure that none of these seniors goes hungry.”

About MEAAA

Founded in 1973, the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging is the area’s leading source for unbiased and comprehensive information on local senior services to help people find senior housing, benefits information, transportation, caregiver services and much more. MEAAA also provides supportive services through its 21 senior centers in St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson Counties. Persons age 60 and over and their caregivers, may access a wide range of programming, from assistance with Medicare and health insurance questions, to exercise and social opportunities, transportation services, energy and legal assistance, disaster preparedness and assistance with acquiring medical equipment and supplies. MEAAA also serves as a Marketplace Navigator for the Affordable Care Act, providing assistance with selecting a health plan or completing an application for all ages.

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