Council Corner — Help support Meals on Wheels at March for Meals

It is that time again! Time to gather your team for the Council’s annual March for Meals St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run/Walk to support its Meals on Wheels (MOW) program.

Our 16th annual event is scheduled for Saturday, March 12, at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. The ‘fun run’ is again sponsored by the Kissimmee Utility Authority. Held annually to raise money for our local MOW initiatives, the event also increases awareness that senior hunger does exist throughout the Osceola community.

Our March for Meals is one of the OCOA’s largest fundraisers; our mission, as in previous years, to raise money to help feed those in our community who are unable to prepare meals and feed themselves. Though demands and obligations have evolved based on the everchanging socioeconomics of the community (which increased due to the pandemic), our core mission is the same, to provide meals and services for community members in need, no matter what.

March for Meals is a national campaign created by the Meals on Wheels Association of America. Meals on Wheels America supports more than 5,000 communities across the country with Osceola County being one of the larger communities, serving 25,000 to 30,000 meals each month. An estimated five million meals have been served to Osceola residents since the program’s inception. This year, Meals on Wheels celebrates 50 years of successful achievements.

“Despite decades of proven success and bipartisan support, funding for the program has failed to keep pace with the rapidly growing needs for services,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “With the nation’s senior population increasing dramatically, now is the time to support local Meals on Wheels programs through volunteering or donating to ensure we are able to deliver meals for another 50 years,” added Hollander.

Locally, our philanthropic needs for MOW donations continue to be critical with monetary and grocery items for the community food pantry also at the top of the priority list.

“This past year and a half, we have seen an increase in food item demands due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wilda Belisle, Senior VP of Meals on Wheels for the Osceola Council on Aging. “Meals on Wheels is much more than a meal a day. Delivering meals gives us an opportunity to also check on our seniors.”

Similarly, there is a constant effort to recruit volunteers to support our MOW initiatives, including drivers for meal delivery routes. Presently, we have well over 150 volunteers including realtors from the Osceola Association of Realtors, team members from the Supervisor of Elections office, the Solivita Group as well as the Rotary Club of Kissimmee West, to name a few. These volunteers are invaluable to the MOW program and community residents.

In the meantime, anyone can participate in our March for Meals event. We encourage individuals, families, and corporate team participation. To register, go to www.osceolagenerations. org, or call 407-847-2144. ‘Day of ’ registration will begin at 6:30 am with start time scheduled for 7:30 am. Cost is $25 per person before March 1, $30, March 2-12, and $35 on the day of event registration cost. Search ‘March for Meals’ to register through Eventbrite.

If interested in becoming a March for Meals 5K sponsor, contact Wilda Belisle at 407-847-2144, or belislew@ osceola-coa.com.

Awards will be given to the top ten finishing male and female participants along with the top finishers ages 65 and up. Teams will also be awarded for the ‘Team Challenge’ category the ‘Most Spirited,’ and the ‘Largest Team.’ A kid’s run and silent auction will also be held and those who bring non-perishable food items for our food pantry will be entered into a special prize drawing.

Finally, the Osceola Council on Aging continues to collaborate closely with local officials on increased safety protocols due to COVID precautions. Those guidelines can be found at: osceolagenerations.org/ march-for-meals/.

Thank you in advance for supporting our local MOW program; we look forward to seeing you at Kissimmee Lakefront Park on March 12.