March for Meals 5K benefits Osceola Meals on Wheels, so sign up today and start the new year healthy, happy, all for a great cause!
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The Osceola Council on Aging “Meals on Wheels” program will host the national 2022 March for Meals campaign by kicking off “The March for Meals 5K Walk & Run sponsored by KUA.” The event will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at the Kissimmee Lakefront Park and will include a 5K (3.1 mile) run and walk for individuals and/or corporate and family teams, largest and most spirited team competition, a free Kid’s Run, silent auction, and those who finish will receive a metal. Plus, if you bring non-perishable food items to help us build the food pantry, you will be entered a special prize drawing!
You can see the most-up-to-date information on the March for Meals 5K on our website www.osceolagenerations.com. The event will start at 6:30 a.m. (registration) and the run and walk begins at 7:30 a.m. The cost is $25 (before March 1ST) and $30 (March 2ND – 12th) and $35 (day of event). To register online through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kua-presents-march-for-meals-st-patricks-5k-runwalk-registration-75868860805.
Team Challenge: “Team Challenge” allows folks to sign-up a team with five plus participants and compete for team awards in the following categories: MOST TEAM SPIRIT and LARGEST TEAM! Be creative, use your imagination and “Let’s Be Fit for FOOD.” We look forward to bringing together businesses and organizations from all over Central Florida for a day of fun – “Team Challenge” excitement! Special discount offered with five or more entries ($5 off).
“This past year in a half, we have seen such a need in our community due to the impact of the COVID-19Pandemic, so our seniors and families in our community need us more than ever for food and services, that is why it is so imperative to have the Meals on Wheels program,” 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; it also it gives us an opportunity to check in on our seniors, now more than ever. We need individuals, corporate and family teams to come out and walk and run to help individuals who are counting on us to provide them a hot and/or cold meal. We need to fight hunger today! We need our community’s help!”
The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. This year, Meals on Wheels programs from across the country are joining forces for the awareness campaign to celebrate 50 years of success and garner the support needed to ensure these critical programs can continue to address food insecurity and malnutrition, combat social isolation, enable independence, and improve health for years to come.
“The Older Americans Act Nutrition Program is the only federally supported program designed to be an antidote for both senior hunger and isolation,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “Despite decades of proven success and bipartisan support, funding for this program has failed to keep pace with the rapidly growing need for its services. With the nation’s senior population increasing dramatically, now is the time to support local Meals on Wheels programs – through volunteering, donating and speaking out – to ensure we are able to deliver for another 50 years.”
If you would like to be a March for Meals 5K partner and would like more information, please contact Wilda Belisle at the Osceola Council on Aging at 407-847-2144 or belislew@osceola-coa.com.
About Osceola Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels
A service that assists the frail, elderly, and younger disabled shut-ins by providing them with hot and cold nutritious meals. The service allows them to remain in their own home environment. Our mission is to end senior hunger by 2025. With the help of the community, we can make this possible! www.osceola-coa.com
About Meals on Wheels Association of America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.