Help fight senior hunger, isolation in Ottawa County

Ottawa County Senior Resources announced today that it will be participating in the 18th Annual March for Meals. The event is a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and the many senior neighbors who rely on the vital service to remain healthy and independent at home.

The Ottawa County Senior Resources’ celebration will include various activities throughout March, including visitations at our six senior centers and an opportunity for community dignitaries to ride along with our meals drivers to help deliver meals.

“The services we provide are a lifeline for seniors of Ottawa County and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Dianne Martin Mortensen, Director of Ottawa County Senior Resources. “Together, we can keep our senior neighbors well-nourished, feeling safer and more connected to our community as they age.”

Ottawa County Senior Resources is the main resource of services for the seniors of Ottawa County and has provided meal services to seniors for the last 14 years. This includes eight Home Delivered Meal runs serving more than 250 seniors. It also serves over 100 seniors daily at six county senior centers.

With the support of the community through the county’s Senior Levy, Senior Resources has continued its commitment to all of our senior programs, including the Home Care Assistance program, Adult Day Services program and the 60-plus Nursing Assessment Program.

The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. 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 fill the gap between the seniors served and those still in need.

“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 Ottawa County this month. Visit the Ottawa County website at co.ottawa.oh.us and click on the “Senior Resources” button or contact the office directly at 419-898-6459.

If you are interested in learning more about Senior Resources and the services it provides, reserve a spot in the Annual Volunteer Training on Friday, Feb. 28. The free, day-long training provides opportunities to learn about the program and the elderly population that is served. Call Senior Resources at 419-898-6459 to reserve a spot.