Much-Needed Funding Helps Keep PSR Seniors and Their Pets Together
Farmville, VA – Piedmont Senior Resources is proud to announce that it has received a $1500 grant from Meals on Wheels America to support its client pet support program. Funding will be used to provide food, supplies and care for Home Delivered Meal clients with pets – all of which can be financially and physically burdensome.
“For many of our seniors, pets are family. Family pets prevent total isolation for those living alone. Our seniors on fixed incomes often have difficulty paying daily expenses and purchasing medications. Pet food may seem like an unnecessary expense, but the joy and purpose provided by a pet outweighs the monetary cost,” said Justine Young, PSR Executive Director.
In total, Meals on Wheels America has granted $300,000 to 193 local Meals on Wheels programs through the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets initiative this year. Funding is made possible in part through a donation from Banfield Charitable Trust (BCT). To date, the grant program has distributed more than $2.4 million in funding and pet food donations.
“While the benefits of companionship are clear, taking care of a pet can be financially and physically challenging for seniors,” said Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander. “Meals on Wheels Loves Pets helps local Meals on Wheels providers alleviate this hardship and at the same time reduce the negative effects of isolation.”
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Piedmont Senior Resources Area Agency on Aging, Inc. provides supportive services and advocates for persons 60 years of age and older. The agency is a private, non-profit agency serving residents of Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward Counties.
Meals on Wheels America is the oldest and largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network exists in virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
