Thursday, February 14, 2013
One volunteer in Gulfport says he'll help pay for gas if you sign up to deliver meals to seniors in Gulfport.
Around 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, volunteers filter into the Gulfport Senior Center to donate their time and services with the Meals on Wheels Program through the Neighborly Care Network. Matt Orlando has been volunteering for about three years and says he loves it. "It's so gratifying. I love these people. Once you do it, you get hooked," he said. Orlando says he looks forward to socializing and getting to know the homebound seniors who depend on the meals. He often asks them about historic events and life stories during his stops. "Older people have so much knowledge," he said. Orlando is one of about 35 volunteers currently helping with about 11 routes in Gulfport. Each route includes 8 to 14 meals people in the program. Officials …
27.74342
-82.70805
Gulfport Senior Center
5501 27th Ave S, Gulfport, FL
/articles/meals-on-wheels-calls-for-volunteers
1906486
/locations/8810532
With flowers, a tiara and cake, Agnes Kinney celebrated her 101st birthday at the Gulfport Cenior Center.
An extended family wished Agnes Kinney many more happy years at her birthday party at the Gulfport Senior Center on Wednesday. Mayor Mike Yakes gave Kinney a birthday card and helped her fit a tiara on just right while friends with the Neighborly Care Network wheeled out a giant birthday cake for the party. Kinney turned 101 on Monday, Feb. 11 and celebrated with her family. However, her extended family at the Gulfport Senior Center wanted to wish her "101 years young" as well. Kinney says she was shocked to see the turnout, saying she would have "dressed up" if she had known. Kinney has lived in Gulfport the past 10 years and visits by the center at least three times a week during lunch with Neighborly Care Network's Senior Dining Program…
27.74342
-82.70805
Gulfport Senior Center
5501 27th Ave S, Gulfport, FL
/articles/video-happy-101st-birthday-agnes
1906486
/locations/8882543
Monday, September 3, 2012
An alarming number of older people skip meals for lack of money. Now there's a way to help.
It is not an issue people are eager to talk about, but it certainly exists. In fact, many might refer to senior hunger as a "silent epidemic." Between 2001 and 2010 there was an 80 percent increase in the number of seniors experiencing hunger in America, according to the Meals on Wheels Research Foundation (MOWRF). Today, that calculates to approximately 8.3 million seniors (those 60 years and older) who face the threat of hunger. By "threat" this means they have expressed anxiety about not having enough food, have had occasions when they did not have enough food, or sometimes even skipped meals because of a lack of money for food. This silent epidemic has endured for some time here in the Sunshine State. In a recently released report by …
Lynda
8:14 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Thank you Dale for reminding us of special needs in our communities and how we can help. It is really sad that so many older people are going hungry while funding is cut for programs that help them. The cost to keep an older person in their own home with support such as Meals on Wheels is so much less than the cost of keeping them in a care facility. Penny-wise, pound-foolish decisions. more ›