Italiano Patty w/Alfredo...Swiss Steak...and Hungarian Pork Chops? Just Another Month of Delicious Cuisine with An International Flair!

If you thought Meals On Wheels delivered a sandwich and an apple...think again! Our monthly menus feature delicious entrees prepared fresh daily in our commissary, and delivered with care to our clients' doors by our friendly, dedicated volunteers. This month's menu includes mouth-watering meals that always meet 1/3 the daily recommended allowance for nutrition. Click on the menu below to see a larger image. If you're interested in home delivery, call us at 330-832-7220!

Support Meals On Wheels With the Fishers Foods Rewards Card

Our friends and neighbors can support Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties by using your Fishers Rewards Card every time you shop at any of the seven Fishers Foods locations in Stark County.

The new Fishers Community Rewards program starts on Wednesday, Jan. 19, and runs through Sunday, April 17. All you have to do is designate Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties as your charity of choice, and every time you use your Rewards Card at Fishers, 1% of your purchase will be donated back to Meals On Wheels.

You'll need to designate us as your preferred charity first. You can do it online at http://www.fishersfoods.com/ or by phone at 1-888-866-9186.

If you don't have a Rewards Card, you can apply for one online at the Fishers web site.

There is no cost to you for designating Meals On Wheels as your preferred charity, and doing so will not affect the Rewards Points you earn by shopping at Fishers.

Important: We'll need at least 50 cardholders to designate us as their preferred charity in order for the program to generate funds for Meals On Wheels, so please register now and encourage other loyal Fishers shoppers to do the same.

Here are the Fishers locations in Stark County:

• Corner of Fulton Drive and Frank Ave., Jackson Township
• Corner of Cleveland Ave. & 44th St. NW, Plain Township
• N. Cleveland Ave. (N. of Applegrove), North Canton
• Cherry Ave. north of 12th St. in Canton
• Harrison Ave., just north of Rt. 30, in Canton
• West Tuscarawas in Perry Township (near Canton Centre Mall)
• Lincoln Way E. in Massillon

Register your card today on behalf of Meals On Wheels of Stark County, and keep shopping at Fishers!

Latest Census Figures Show Largest Poverty Increase in Elderly Population

A new formula used by the U.S. Census Bureau, which takes into account out-of-pocket medical expenses, indicates that 16 percent of Americans age 65 or older -- one in six -- are living in poverty.

Even Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits can’t offset the devastating financial impact being felt by our nation's seniors.

An Associated Press report can be found here with more details about the Census Bureau figures.

At Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, helping our area's seniors is something we do every day, not only through our home delivery program but also through our congregate dining sites throughout the region.

We take the challenges being faced by seniors seriously, and are here to help. Call us at 330-832-7220 to learn more about our services and how they can benefit you, or your loved one.

The Joys and Benefits of Congregate Dining

There is nothing like the feeling of sharing a hot, well-balanced meal while enjoying the simple pleasure of conversation and companionship. Studies have shown that socialization is an important part of remaining mentally alert as we age, and brightening our outlook on life in general. That's where our Congregate Dining Program fits in; it's an important part of the services we provide at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.

The Congregate Dining Program is available at 14 of our locations in Stark and Wayne counties. It is funded in part through the Older Americans Act and provides individuals over the age of 60 (or spouses) the opportunity to have a hot, nutritionally balanced meal in a group setting. The suggested donation is $2.50 per meal. (Guests under the age of 60 may attend for a fee of $4.50.) These hot meals are available Monday through Friday at 11:45 am. Reservations are required. Guests must provide their own transportation.

More information is available by calling our office at 330-832-7220, or toll-free at 1-800-466-8010.

Roast Beef...Sliced Turkey...Baked Chicken...Meatball Subs...Spaghetti -- Just Another Month on the Meals On Wheels Menu!

The September menu is out, and it's loaded with delicious, nutritious meals that are prepared fresh daily in our commissary.

Click on the image below for a larger view. The menu is also available on our website, http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/.

Roast Beef! Chicken Alfredo! Hawaiian Chicken Salad! Cavatappi with Meat Sauce! The August Menu Has It All, and More...

The August menu has been published. Click on the image below to see a larger version. You can also access the menu on our agency website.

Mmm, Mmm, good...

July Marks Anniversary of Groundbreaking Legislation for America's Seniors

In July 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed two pieces of groundbreaking legislation that strengthened the economic and health conditions of senior citizens in the United States.

On July 14, 1965, President Johnson signed the Older Americans Act (OAA). Two weeks later, on July 30, he signed legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid (left, with former President Harry Truman looking on).

"These three programs, along with Social Security enacted in 1935, have served as the foundation for economic, health and social support for millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families," said Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary of Aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Because of these programs, millions of older Americans have lived more secure, healthier and meaningful lives."

"The Older Americans Act has quietly but effectively provided nutrition and community support to millions," she continued. "It has also protected the rights of seniors, and in many cases, has been the key to independence."

You can read her entire statement here.

As Teresa Barry, CEO of Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties and Chairman of the Meals On Wheels Association of America, wrote recently, funding for the Older Americans Act is in jeopardy. While the OAA supports the programs of social services agencies, it is not an entitlement program, which means congressional funding is not guaranteed. Terri urges Congress and other officials to anticipate the needs of older Americans in the next 20 to 30 years and ensure that funding for the OAA remains stable.

You can read her recent guest editorial in the Canton Repository here.

Article in Wooster Paper Highlights Aging Baby Boomers, MOWSW

An article appearing today in The Daily Record (Wooster, OH), discusses the issue of the aging baby boom generation and the impact it will have on social service agencies like Meals On Wheels.

Staff writer Steve Huzai interviewed Teresa Barry, CEO of Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, for background on the story.

"Barry said first and foremost the organization is attempting to alter the public's image that it merely serves the poor and elderly," the article states. "But she continued with the added stress the recession has put on all nonprofit organizations, Meals on Wheels will look for new ways to meet fundraising goals and new ways to cut costs, while maintaining its current level of services."

The entire article can be accessed here.

Heroes Against Hunger Returns for 2010

We're once again in the midst of our annual "Heroes Against Hunger" campaign, featuring members of police and fire departments from Stark and Wayne counties.

Every year during the months of July and August, safety personnel from the two counties join forces and assist with deliveries in their communities. It not only helps with the work load at our outlying sites, it has a positive effect on our clients by involving our police and fire departments in non-threatening situation.

This year we're happy to welcome officers and personnel from 11 police and fire departments in Stark and Wayne counties.

Departments represented include: Alliance Fire, Canal Fulton Fire, Canton Police (auxiliary), Dalton Police, Doylestown Police, Perry Township Fire, Perry Township Police, Plain Township Fire, Smithville Police, Stark County Sheriff's, and Wooster Police.

We're grateful that officers from area safety forces are assisting us with deliveries once again in 2010.

New Wheels Are Delivering Meals

Our new 12-foot box truck hit the road and began delivering meals to our various sites in June.

Graphics were applied to the truck to clearly identify Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties.

We're excited to finally have it in service and look forward to the prospect of expanding our program's reach with the addition of this new vehicle to our fleet.

Here's Our July Menu

Our menu for July 2010 has been published. Click on the image below to see what's in store for the month.

Guest Editorial by Our CEO Highlights Impact of Boomers on Health Care, Social Services

A guest column from Teresa Barry, CEO of Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, appeared in today's Repository in Canton, Ohio, and highlighted the impact of the baby boomer generation on our nation's health care and social services systems as boomers begin to reach retirement age.

The article, headlined "Fallout From The Baby Boom," was the featured article on the front page of the "Your Voice" section of the paper.

The editorial begins, "Beginning in 2011, the tidal wave of Americans reaching retirement age will become a full-blown tsunami."

From there, Terri describes the impact of the aging of the baby boom generation on everything from health care to the increased demand for social services that is sure to follow.

"Without adequate funding, social service agencies will be forced to turn to the private sector for assistance, including corporations, foundations and philanthropic-minded individuals," she writes. "Either that or pass costs on to already struggling clients."

To read the entire editorial, click here.

You Can Make a Difference for Your Homebound Neighbors

Here at Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, we're always in need of volunteers to help deliver meals to our homebound neighbors.

It's a great way to stay active and make a difference in the community. From the time they gather at one of our 21 locations in Stark and Wayne counties, to actually delivering the meals to our clients' homes, volunteers are interacting with people who enjoy their company and depend on their spirit of service.

As a volunteer, you'll typically help one day a week, and deliver the same route each time. That way, you'll become familiar with the streets and neighborhoods you travel, and get well acquainted with the clients on your route.

Arrival time is around 10:30 a.m., and deliveries begin at 10:45. Most routes take between 60 and 90 minutes to complete. We provide training for new volunteers, and mileage reimbursement is available.

It's important to note that our volunteers do more than just deliver meals. They offer warm smiles and peace of mind—for our clients, and their loved ones. Volunteers are often the only people our clients see during the day. If a client doesn't answer the door, or if our volunteer notices something else out of the ordinary when they arrive at the home, the volunteer is instructed to call our office to notify us.

We then attempt to call the client; if we're not able to reach them, we then contact a relative or neighbor that the client had previously designated, just to let them know. Following this simple procedure, some clients have been rescued from potentially catastrophic situations. In some cases, lives have been saved.

We believe passionately in the work we do and are proud of the dedicated service our volunteers provide every day. Can we count on you to lend a hand? Just call us at 330-832-7220 to become a part of the team. Or visit our website at http://www.mow-starkwayne.org/ for more information.

Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties on YouTube

We've created a YouTube account for Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties, and look forward to sharing more information about our agency and our mission via video presentations.

The first one is an appearance by our CEO, Teresa Barry, on the "On Track with Betty Mac" television program. "On Track" airs weekly on Canton City Schools Television, which is carried on Time Warner Cable channel 11 in the Canton, Ohio market. You can view the segment here; it runs just under 10 minutes.

There is an additional television appearance by Terri that is posted on the NEON page on YouTube. NEON stands for the Northeast Ohio Network, which is operated by Time Warner and carried on their cable service throughout Northeast Ohio. Terri appeared on their "Helping Hands" program. You can view it here.

Watch for more Meals On Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties video clips on our You Tube channel.