Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg Joins in Month-Long March for Meals Celebration with Communities Nationwide

Tampa, FL, March 04, 2020 --(PR.com)-- Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg, a Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger program, is participating in the 18th annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and our senior neighbors who rely on the vital service to remain health and independent at home. MOWSP’s celebration will include various activities throughout the month of March, including a digital fundraising campaign to raise the funds necessary to provide three months of meals for program participants.

”The services we provide are a lifeline for seniors of St. Petersburg and the need is rapidly increasing,” said Caitlyn Peacock, Executive Director of Tampa Bay Network to End Huger. “Together, we can keep our senior neighbors well-nourished, feeling safer and more connected to our community as they age.”

Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger launched MOWSP in October 2019, in partnership with Daystar Life Center and Meals on Wheels of Tampa, and to date has delivered over 1,800 meals. Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg serves seniors and 18+ homebound individuals (due to illness, injury or disability) with a hot meal delivered to their home, by a volunteer, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. MOWSP is an alternative option for: 1) people placed on a waiting list; or 2) people who do not qualify for other Meals on Wheels programs due to age. MOWSP delivers to the following St. Petersburg zip codes: 33701, 33705, 33707, 33711, 33712, and 33713. Volunteers deliver the meals every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10:30am-2:00pm. Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg is a complementary, but separate, program to other meal delivery services in the area.

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 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.”

Each meal costs $5.50. Come together this March to raise funds for three months of MOWSP deliveries, including operational costs, and help the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger reach their goal of $5,000. A donation of just $25 will provide a week of Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg deliveries to a senior or homebound individual in need.

Donations will be accepted on TBNEH’s website at www.NetworktoEndHunger.org, and the public is invited to attend the next MOWSP volunteer orientation (1055 28th St S.) on Tuesday, March 10th to learn firsthand how your contributions benefit this mission and programs, while impacting the community.

With the support of their community partners this #MarchforMeals, they can provide healthy and nutritious meals to all 25 homebound and senior meal recipients three days a week for three months.

For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute or speak out for the seniors in St. Petersburg this March, visit www.NetworktoEndHunger.org.

About Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger:
The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is committed to ending hunger in Tampa Bay by bringing people together to find solutions that eliminate barriers, increase access and knowledge, and expand the amount of nutritious food available. TBNEH has over 350 members and serves a tri-county area, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. The Network’s programs include: the Hunger Gap Map, Meals On Wheels St. Petersburg, Creating a Regenerative Community Food System and the Sunshine Summit to End Hunger. TBNEH has been serving our communities for 10 years and relies on its community for support. www.NetworktoEndHunger.org