Direct-Mail Public Awareness Campaign March-11-2011

Meals on Wheels of Texoma News

Meals on Wheels of Texoma named as grant recipient for W.B. Munson Foundation

W.B. Munson Foundation appropriates $20,000 to Meals on Wheels of Texoma to help in the fight to end senior hunger.

Denison, TX November 11th: The W.B. Munson Foundation has awarded $20,000 to Meals on Wheels of Texoma (MOWOT) to help fund their mission to end senior hunger. This year’s award is the latest example in a long history of support MOWOT has received from the W.B. Munson Foundation. The money will be used to cover the cost of meals to recipients for whom more traditional forms of funding are unavailable.

MOWOT has helped protect more than 2,800 seniors and disabled persons in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson counties against the threat of food insecurity in 2010. More than 379,000 meals will be served this year by MOWOT, 72,000 of which would not have been possible without grants and other forms of private giving. Through their home-delivered meal program and Senior Center congregate meal activities, MOWOT directly impacts area seniors’ quality of life, contributing to their ability to live independently by providing hot, nutritious meals and daily, human contact. Thanks to the W.B. Munson Foundation, Meals on Wheels of Texoma is now 20,000 steps further along their path to eradicate senior hunger by the year 2020.

For more information on how Meals on Wheels of Texoma is making a positive impact in your community, visit http://www.mealsonwheelstexoma.org

Meals On Wheels of Texoma receives $105,000 from Texas Department of Agriculture

Kathey Scott, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Texoma accepts check from Commissioner Todd Staples, Department of Agriculture

COMMISSIONER STAPLES AWARDS $9.5 MILLION TO HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROVIDERS TO FEED HUNGRY TEXANS
• Funds to provide more meals to additional homebound Texans
• Home-delivered meals critical to the health of elderly and disabled Texans
• The grants are an investment and save tax dollars

AUSTIN – Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples announced today the Texas Department of Agriculture is awarding approximately $9.5 million to agencies that serve meals to homebound elderly and disabled Texans. The grants are provided through TDA’s Texans Feeding Texans: Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program.

“Home-delivered meals are critical to the health and well-being of fellow Texans who would go hungry without this food,” Commissioner Staples said. “This funding will allow meal providers to continue their mission of fighting hunger in Texas and I am proud to support such an honorable and necessary initiative.”

The Texans Feeding Texans: Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program was created during the 80th Legislative Session in 2007 to give supplemental funding to home-delivered meal providers. The grants, based partly on the number of meals eligible applicants served the year prior to applying, can only be used to supplement and expand existing services related to the delivery of meals.

Meals on Wheels of Texoma is receiving $105,000 for use in Cooke, Fannin and Grayson Counties. “Meals On Wheels, of Texoma is so grateful for the Texans Feeding Texans grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture,” Executive Director Kathey Scott said. “ This grant has enabled our agency to provide weekend meals to older and frail residents of Cooke, Fannin and Grayson County. This grant dramatically improves and saves lives." "By providing food to elderly residents in their own homes, we help maintain their independence, which saves Texans about $30,000 in tax dollars annually per individual served,” Commissioner Staples said. “I want to thank the legislators who approved this critical funding that enables us to assist Texans who need a helping hand.”

TDA will award almost 200 grants totaling $9.5 million to home-delivered meal providers across the state who served more than 13 million meals statewide last year. Over the three-year life of this program, TDA has awarded nearly $30 million to these organizations.

For more information on the Texans Feeding Texans: Home-Delivered Meal Grant Program, or for a complete list of recipients, visit www.TexasAgriculture.gov and click on Grants/Funding.

All TDA press releases are also available via the Internet at www.TexasAgriculture.gov/newsroom.