Ohler, Wilson, Case Participate in Meals on Wheels

Torrington – State Representatives Brian Ohler (R-64), David Wilson (R-66), and Jay Case (R-63) volunteered their time on Tuesday morning with the Meals on Wheels program. The three legislators met at the Torrington Senior Center and were deployed to various neighborhoods and surrounding towns to make several meal deliveries.

According to Meals on Wheels, the organization provides hundreds of meals to seniors who reside in 18 various towns throughout the Northwest Corner, while coordinating deliveries with over 5,000 locally run programs to serve 2.4 million senior nation-wide.

“This past Thursday I attended an elderly nutrition seminar at Geer Village in North Canaan. This event was hosted by the Northwest Corner TRIAD. Attendees left with a greater knowledge of the importance of senior nutrition overall,” explained Rep. Ohler. “This issue culminated with today’s ride-a-long with Meals on Wheels. This vital program offers a plethora of meal options to our seniors. For these reasons, and many more, we as legislators must continue the fight for sustainable funding.”

“Meals-on-Wheels provides a vital service for seniors in need with mobility issues, ” said Rep. Wilson. “For many, this program enables them to receive the necessary food resources and continue living independently in their homes. Not only is the daily delivery of their meals essential for good nutrition, but also, the additional well-being checks give the families an added reassurance. There have been many situations when the program drivers have been able to assist with simple tasks, like bringing in the paper, to calling 911 for more serious assistance. I was proud to be part of this initiative and deliver meals to our local residents.”

“This program truly serves as a lifeline to our community seniors. It’s more than a meal, there is a clear relationship between the drivers and the people they stop to see on a daily basis that provides a sense of security” Rep. Case explained after delivering a few meals. “Seeing the interactions first-hand showed me how much this program is depended upon, which is why we need to support the program at the state level.”

Proposed budget cuts at a federal level, however, have jeopardized the ability for Meals on Wheels to continue to operate at its current capacity. Regardless, Meals on Wheels has calculated that taxpayers save $31 billion, annually, in healthcare costs as a result of the minimization of accidents within seniors’ homes.

For more information on Meals on Wheels you can visit their website at www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

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