CABARRUS MEALS ON WHEELS INC

WE SERVE SENIORS THROUGHOUT CABARRUS COUNTY, INCLUDING CONCORD, KANNAPOLIS, HARRISBURG, MIDLAND AND MT. PLEASANT. WE HAVE 31 ROUTES THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. VOLUNTEERS DRIVE JUST UNDER 500 MILES EACH DAY TO DELIVER MEALS TO OUR CLIENTS. WE SERVED OVER 650 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE A FROZEN ONLY MEAL PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES 14 FROZEN MEALS TO SENIORS ON OUR WAITING LIST AND THOSE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OUR DELIVERY AREAS.OUR AVERAGE CLIENT IS A 75-YEAR-OLD WHITE FEMALE WHO LIVES ALONE AND RELIES SOLELY ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR INCOME. SHE WORRIES ABOUT WHERE HER NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM. THERE ARE DAYS SHE DOES NOT EAT OR REDUCES HER MEAL BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXTRA FUNDS TO AFFORD FOOD.ALL CLIENTS ARE ASKED TO PAY FOR THEIR MEALS BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED AND BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO PAY BUT MANY ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD A NUTRITIOUS MEAL. 59% OF OUR CLIENTS SURVIVE ON LESS THAN $1,000 PER MONTH WITH AN AVERAGE INCOME OF $742.31 PER MONTH.OUR MEALS ARE PREPARED DAILY IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART COMMERCIAL KITCHEN. EACH MEAL CONSISTS OF 1/3 OF THE DAILY RDA'S AND OUR MENU IS PREPARED BY A REGISTERED DIETICIAN. WE USE AS MANY FRESH FOODS AS POSSIBLE. WE TRY TO SERVE FRESH, SEASONAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO PROVIDE THE MOST NUTRITIOUS MEAL AS WE CAN. MEALS ARE PREPARED FRESH EACH MORNING BEGINNING AT 6:30 A.M. SEEING A VOLUTEER EACH DAY ALSO HELPS ALLEVIATE THE FEELING OF LONELINESS THAT SENIORS LIVE WITH. MOST OF THEM LIVE ALONE AND OUR VOLUNTEER MAY BE THE ONLY PERSON THEY SEE AND TALK WITH IN A DAY. OUR PROGRAM ALSO MAKES REFFERALS TO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS FOR ANY CONCERNS WE IDENTIFY. WE ALSO PROVIDE OUR SENIORS WITH PET FOOD FOR THEIR BELOVED PETS, EXTRA GROCERIES WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ENOUGH FOOD AND PROVIDE GIFTS FOR BIRTHDAYS AND CHRISTMAS. OUR PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE PERSON. WE ARE MORE THAN A MEAL. WE DELIVER HOPE.