Mayors and other elected officials next week will team up with community leaders nationwide to deliver meals with Meals on Wheels as part of the 15th annual March for Meals event, March 18-29. The event aims to bring attention to the service, which provides over 500 meals each weekday to homebound s eniors in Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties. As part of the initiative, 26 local mayors and community leaders will join volunteer drivers on meal deliveries to meet those who rely on the program — many of whom, the program said, are among the most vulnerable and isolated members of the community. Meals on Wheels, administered locally by the Mountainland Association of Governments, depends on both local government support and fundraising efforts to sustain and expand its services. In January 2022, for the first time in a decade, a waiting list was established due to increased demand and funding challenges. Currently, nearly 500 seniors are on the waiting list, while volunteers deliver more than 67% of the meals provided, the program said. “In the past year, we’ve seen a growing need for our services,” said Michelle Carroll, Executive Director of Mountainland Association of Governments. “We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received so far, but there’s still more to be done. Ensuring every senior in need receives proper nutrition and social connection remains a top priority.” March for Meals commemorates the historic milestone of March 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed an amendment to the Older Americans Act of 1965, establishing a national senior nutrition program. Since 2002, Meals on Wheels programs nationwide have used this annual campaign to highlight the importance of public-private partnerships and rally support to bridge the gap between seniors currently served and those still in need. The post Mayors to hand out meals to community seniors for March for Meals Week appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less