Jeff Gordon Delivers the “One Millionth” Meal of Meals on Wheels

Reidsville, N.C . - AARP Foundation, Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) and Aging, Disability and Transit Services (ADTS) are teaming up with Jeff Gordon -- four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports -- to deliver the one millionth Meals on Wheels meal to a local family in Stoneville, NC.

ADTS is receiving funding through the More Than A Meal research grant from AARP Foundation to MOWAA. Gordon will deliver a meal and meet with the Meals on Wheels recipient, from a Stoneville family, on his way to the Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race that weekend.

“We are so proud to work with the Meals On Wheels Association of America and Aging, Disability and Transit Services in helping to fight senior hunger in local communities," said AARP Associate State Director Suzanne Black. “Isolated seniors depend on visits from volunteers both for nutritious meals and for the benefits of human contact. Sadly, the staff and volunteers are often the only people these seniors see, which makes watching Jeff Gordon deliver the one millionth meal an exciting experience that also helps create awareness around the issue of hunger.”

"We are so excited about Jeff Gordon and his team taking the time to help us celebrate our one millionth meal delivery", said ADTS Executive Director T. Lee Covington. "We hope that Jeff's participation will also help us highlight the serious ongoing need in Rockingham County, where there are currently more than 160 homebound seniors on a waiting list for Meals on Wheels."

Last year, AARP Foundation provided $350,000 to fund a research study evaluating costs and benefits of Meals on Wheels, which provides nutritious meals and a social connection to homebound and hungry seniors.

The research grant came at an increasingly critical time. Over the past several years, federal, state and local funding cuts, increased transportation and food costs, and the lingering effects of the economic downturn have resulted in hundreds of thousands fewer seniors served, millions of fewer meals delivered, waiting lists swelling at record rates, and program doors being shuttered.

Drive to End Hunger is the national effort by AARP and AARP Foundation to help the millions of older adults who face hunger across the United States. Drive to End Hunger is not only raising awareness of the problem, but also the funds to fight it. Drive to End Hunger engages organizational and individual sponsors across the country, and also funds innovative programs with promising results that can be applied elsewhere to prevent hunger.

Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger, it has donated nearly 32 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of approximately $21 million. All contributions to Drive to End Hunger go to support the hunger solutions of AARP Foundation.

To learn more or get involved, please visit www.DriveToEndHunger.org. Continue the conversation or share your story at www.facebook.com/DriveToEndHunger or on Twitter using #endhunger and @Drive2EndHunger.

 

About Meals On Wheels Association of America

The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest national organization representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 States and Territories. Collectively, these programs serve approximately one million meals a day to our nation’s seniors, either by delivering meals directly to the homes of seniors whose mobility is limited – commonly referred to as Meals on Wheels – or by providing meals in a group setting, such as those served in a senior center. More than 70 percent of the members of our association provide both types of services for seniors in their communities. As a national organization and network, we are working together so no senior goes hungry. For more information or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit mowaa.org.

About AARP Foundation

AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people, strengthen communities, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is AARP’s affiliated charity. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org.

About ADTS

Aging, Disability and Transit Services is a private nonprofit agency dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals by empowering them to achieve optimum health and well-being, independence and participation in the community. This mission is accomplished through providing an array of community services including Home Care Services (CAP-DA, PCS, Home & Community Care Block Grant, Private Pay), Meals on Wheels, Meals With Friends Nutrition Sites, Adult Day Care/Day Health, RCATS Public Access Transportation, skat bus fixed route transportation, Center for Active Retirement Senior Center, Community Resource Connections, Volunteer Caregiver Services, Family Caregiver Support and Advocacy and Referral Services.