Sharing the Love
Mid-East Area Agency on Aging Awarded $15,000 to Help Seniors
More than 150 homebound seniors will receive nutritious meals next month, thanks to a $15,054.80 donation the Mid-east Area Agency on Aging (MEAAA) is receiving from its participation in the annual Subaru “Share the Love” Event Revenue Share. During the event, held between November 17, 2016 and January 3, 2017, Subaru donated $250 to Meals on Wheels America for every new vehicle sold or leased. MEAAA was one of two Meals on Wheels agencies in Missouri to benefit from this donation.
“This generous support from Subaru could not have come at a better time,” explained Mary Schaefer, MEAAA executive director. “Dollars are tight and government support for senior programs has not been growing in recent years, making it harder for us to meet the needs of so many homebound seniors.”
Schaefer noted that it costs approximately $100 to feed a single senior for an entire month, so the Subaru donation will support meals for an estimated 150 people. In all, MEAAA staff and volunteers deliver more than 2,700 meals each day, Monday through Friday, to seniors in St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin Counties.
Subaru of America, Inc. began its “Share the Love” event nine years ago, and has since donated more than $94 million to local and national charities across the country. Participating organizations, like MEAAA, help promote the event though social media, advertising, and special events, such as a “Stuff the Trunk” promotion to gather non-perishable food items for older adults in need. MEAAA also partnered with the Webster Groves Subaru dealership to promote the event.
“There are an estimated 60,000 senior citizens in our region who do not have enough to eat each day,” added Schaefer. “Programs like Meals on Wheels make it possible for seniors who often live alone to remain in their own homes. The “Share the Love” event is one more way in which we can raise awareness of the need for more community support to ensure that none of these seniors goes hungry.”
Contributions to MEAAA’s Meals on Wheels program can be made on-line at agingmissouri.org, or by check to payable to MEAAA “March for Meals” at 14535 Manchester Road, Manchester, MO 63011.