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Published Wednesday, February 08, 2012 in Local

Andrew urges Senoia to help with Meals On Wheels

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

Many senior citizens need help with meals, and more volunteers and funding are needed to expand services.

Lizabeth Andrew, president of Meals On Wheels of Coweta, shared statistics and information with members of the Senoia City Council on Monday. During the meeting, the council also approved a proclamation in recognition of the annual National March for Meals program.

Andrew said the Coweta meals on wheels program has six routes -- four in the Newnan area and two in the Senoia area. "Senoia's routes are our longest routes in terms of geographic location and miles driven," she said.

While low income is not a requirement, 88 percent of MOWOC's clients meet federal poverty guidelines. Andrew said 62 percent of the clients are black, 36 percent are white and 2 percent are Latino.

The largest funding source for MOWOC is United Way. The current United Way grant is $45,000. "I needed at least twice that much to fully operate seven days a week," Andrew said.

The program currently provides meals five days a week. The cost of meals for one person for a year is $832, "which is cheap," Andrew said.

She said total meal expense for MOWOC is about $50,000 annually -- about $5,000 more than the United Way funding.

Speaking during the council meeting at the Senoia Magistrate Court building, Andrew said Meals On Wheels helps people stay in their homes. Home is "where they want to be, where they ought to be and where they can do better," she said.

She also said the cost of meals for a year is tiny compared to annual costs for living in an assisted living facility -- $34,800 -- or a nursing home. Andrew pegged "grits and gravy nursing home average cost" at $51,100 annually.

"Meals On Wheels needs Senoia's help in serving the citizens," Andrew said. "We need Senoia's help to serve Senoia's senior citizens."

Andrew said MOWOC has been getting more volunteers to deliver meals in the Senoia area. Councilman Larry Owens is among the volunteers.

"It's basically a regenerated effort in this part of the county," he said. Owens said anyone who does not see the need for the service "to come with my wife and I on the route for a day or two." He said if someone will volunteer, "your time and effort and loving compassion" will be rewarded.

The proclamation noted "the Meals on Wheels Association of America provides nutritional services to senior adults" and "Meals on Wheels of Coweta is participating in the National March For Meals campaign to generate public awareness, recruit volunteers and increase local fund raising."

The proclamation stated the city "recognizes the efforts of Meals on Wheels of Coweta and supports those efforts." Mayor Robert Belisle appointed Owens to represent Senoia at the Mayors for Meals campaign on March 21.

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