March for Meals Helps Celebrate 50 Years of Senior Nutrition

Local Meals on Wheels Organization, Council on Aging, Gladwin County, Hosts Local Leaders for Week-long Event

This year, the March for Meals Program celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Older American’s Act Nutrition Program.

 This program, which was signed into law by President Nixon in March of 1972, was added as an amendment to the Older American’s Act of 1965. This amendment included a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older, which supported the rapid growth of a nationwide network of senior nutrition programs. These programs are more commonly known as the Meals on Wheels.

To bring this celebration of 50 years, the Council on Aging, Gladwin County (CoA), participated in the March for Meals Campaign. Each year, March for Meals is a campaign that all Meals on Wheels organizations across the country participate in to raise awareness for senior hunger and the need in their community.

After two years of not being able to fully run the March for Meals campaign, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff was excited to come back in 2022 fully opened and ready to host community leaders and members.

The CoA chose the Community Champions Week (March 21-25, 2022) to host some leaders in the community. Community members were invited to join the CoA staff at their senior dining centers to learn more about how their meal program is run and what day-to-day operations look like.

On Monday, March 21 County Commissioner, Karen Moore met up with the site staff at the Billings Township Hall and rode along with one of the meal drivers. While Moore was out delivering meals in Billings Township, Gladwin County Sheriff, Mike Shea, was put to work in the Antler Arms dining center kitchen, where he also helped serve up pork chops, baked sweet potato and green beans to the congregate meal participants.

Day two, Melanie Thume, from the Gladwin County Office, also helped out at the Antler Arms dining center, preparing and serving up chicken breasts with scalloped potatoes and a vegetable blend.

On the third day, March 23, Gladwin City Mayor, Dee Jungman, joined the CoA meal site staff as well and helped serve up baked spaghetti and salad to the congregate meal participants at the Antler Arms dining center.

March 24, our fourth day in the week-long celebration, saw a familiar and a new face. County Commissioner, Karen Moore came back, but this time she was joined by a new community member, Bill G. Schuette, who is running for State Representative. Karen and Bill also helped out the kitchen staff, prepping the food and serving up macaroni and cheese and brussel sprouts to the patrons of the Antler Arms dining center.

Even after the Community Champions Week, the CoA was happy to host Sarah Kile, 211 Northeast Michigan’s Executive Director. Sarah also joined the Antler Arms staff on Monday, March 28, and helped serve up chili, cornbread and mixed vegetables.

The CoA would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to everyone who took time out of their schedule to come and join them for this 50th anniversary of the March for Meals, and for their support and willingness to bring awareness to the great need that is senior hunger in Gladwin County.