Thank you to all of our generous sponsors, donors, vendors, runners and volunteers for making Love Run 2022 a successful day full of “FUNraising!” Mark your calendar for Love Run 2023 on June 4th. We hope to see you then!
Senior Concerns’ Meals On Wheels – The Cause
100% of the proceeds from the Neftin Westlake Mazda Love Run helps us to feed homebound seniors in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills.
Your support is need now more than ever!
COVID-19 imposed a sudden and imminent risk to older Americans—and the response from all across this country was unprecedented. Ordinary people stood up, spoke up and gave generously so that Meals On Wheels could provide a lifeline for millions of isolated, frightened seniors whose futures still remain terribly uncertain. We need to keep the momentum of generosity going.
Further, the pandemic has shined a light on how many seniors in our community are living daily with food insecurity.
Even as things re-open, the need for home delivered meals has not subsided. We have grown from delivering 800 meals per week prior to March 2020, to delivering more than 4,000 meals per week at the height of the pandemic. Today, we have leveled off at 2,000 meals per week.
Every race registration, as well as every dollar you fundraise, goes directly to delivering meals and support to homebound seniors.
Want to do something good for the community? Lace up your running shoes and join us in-person or virtually! More info on MOW here.
Love Run 2022 Highlights
Does your registration and donation really make a difference? Meet four of our Meals On Wheels scholarship recipients who are being directly affected by your generosity!
Leslie age 95
Leslie called Senior Concerns asking for home-delivered meals because her oven and dishwasher had broken. She is diabetic and has specific dietary needs, which she was preparing for herself and maintaining good health. She did not want to move from the townhouse she loves and has lived in for over 40 years because she is familiar with the layout. This is important because she is losing her eyesight due to macular degeneration. Her daughter lives a good distance away in Orange County and cannot come help as often as she would like. Leslie receives home-delivered meals seven days a week and the meals she receives are geared for her dietary needs. Without these meals, she does not know how she would make it. She is very grateful for the meals and for the volunteer drivers who cheer her up.
Esther age 91
Home-bound and mostly immobile and very frail, Esther receives a daily hot meal from Senior Concerns’ Meals On Wheels program and a check-in from the volunteer driver. Her food is chopped so that she can chew it comfortably. Esther lives with her son who works most of the time just to pay for their apartment. Not always able to eat the entire meal, her son will refrigerate the uneaten portions. Before departing, (pre-COVID), the volunteer driver helped Esther get set up to eat, getting her a cup of water and her chocolate candy dessert from the freezer.
Jerry age 68
Jerry could not adequately express his gratitude for the meals being provided to him through Senior Concerns’ Meals On Wheels program. In fact, he called to thank us after consuming his very first meal! Before Meals On Wheels, Jerry reported eating whatever he could. His meals consisted of, top ramen, boxed macaroni & cheese, and other dry goods including packets of oatmeal, cereal and canned goods. Most of these items he picked up from a local church pantry. He started going there to get food because it was within walking distance as he does not have a car. Jerry lives in an efficiency apartment in a low-income housing development. He has a refrigerator to store food and a microwave for cooking. Now that he receives two complete meals a day, he is feeling much better.
Maureen age 94
Maureen was on hospice, living in subsidized housing, and was lying in a hospital bed waiting to die. Her son lives close by and took care of her each day. He called Senior Concerns to ask about Meals On Wheels for his mother who had trouble eating what he was preparing. Maureen’s Meals On Wheels food delivery consists of pureed food, accompanied by Ensure, enriched puddings and crumbled cake. Maureen began to rebound, regained strength and has now lived a year beyond her prognosis, loving her daytime TV! With the help of Meals On Wheels, she gained back not only her strength, but also, some of her life. Her Meals On Wheels driver tells this story to anyone who questions the benefit of good nutrition in the lives of seniors.
