Council’s Corner — Meals on Wheels Match Campaign

  • David Collins makes a Meals on Wheels delivery, as he as volunteered to do for years. PHOTO/OSCEOLA COUNCIL ON AGING
    David Collins makes a Meals on Wheels delivery, as he as volunteered to do for years. PHOTO/OSCEOLA COUNCIL ON AGING

The Osceola Council on Aging (OCOA) is thrilled to announce this month’s Meals on Wheel Match Campaign to support our ever-growing Meals on Wheels services. The first we have hosted of its kind; this campaign runs through the month of January, in hopes of increasing the number of home-delivered meals we serve for low-income, homebound seniors, and disabled members of the Osceola community.

This fundraiser has been made possible by a long time OCOA supporter, Stephanie Garber, along with her husband, David, who have both volunteered delivering meals for Meals on Wheels, over the years. Due to their fondness of the program, and to generate support from the community, they have agreed to match the total donation amount raised up to $5,000!

“David and I both feel good nutrition is a human right to every individual in the country. Our support of Meals On Wheels is a way we can be certain that as many seniors as possible have this service. It is also vital that those who can support this program do so as the need continues to grow.”

“In addition, Wilda (Belisle, OCOA Senior Vice President of Nutrition Services), has excellent leadership skills, works tirelessly to make sure her volunteers are appreciated and always receptive to ideas and concerns, when delivering a meal to a client,” Garber added.

For those unfamiliar with this community service, the OCOA has been providing Meals on Wheels to Osceola County residents for more than 30 years. With nearly 300,000 meals delivered in 2022 alone, the OCOA and our community partners provide meals (lunches and dinners) Monday through Friday of each week. Weekends are also available for special needs circumstances. For dedicated events and holidays such as Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, special deliveries can be made by reservation.

“Providing nutrition to sustain an individual’s strength and health is key to maintaining an independent life,” Belisle said. “We are so proud of the support in which Osceola community members provide for this extremely important service. I cannot thank Stephanie Garber and her husband, enough, for this additional philanthropic support,” added Belisle.

For more information on the Meals on Wheels Match program or to donate, go to https://donorbox.org/meals-on-wheels-match-campaign?fbclid=IwAR3DV61s5L2A_OGDk0dMXy30k5EYuguGuUVwC0WhlZ
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If you cannot support this month’s Meals on Wheels Match Campaign, but want to support the program, join us for the 18th Annual KUA March for Meals 5k Run/Walk scheduled for Saturday, March 11. The event, held at Kissimmee Lakefront Park will begin at 7:30 a.m. Additional sponsors include Goosehead Insurances and TOHO Water Authority.

For sponsorship information, contact Belisle at 407-847-2144, or belislew@osceolacoa.com. Registration is open, sign up at https://runsignup.com/ Race/ FL/ Kissimmee/.