Young people are lifting the spirits of Midlands-area seniors with Valentine’s Day cards
February 8, 2016
DoSomething.org and Meals on Wheels America join forces for third annual Love Letters campaign
This month, Midlands-area seniors are receiving handmade Valentine’s Day cards created by youth volunteers from across the country. DoSomething.org, the largest organization for young people and social change, has teamed up with Meals on Wheels America for the third annual Love Letters campaign.
“There are about 5,100 seniors in Richland County who live alone and face isolation,” said Senior Resources Executive Director Pam Dukes. “Our seniors delight in receiving these beautifully hand crafted cards with messages of love and friendship. The cards let the seniors know that they are not forgotten and that someone cares about them.”
The popular campaign, encouraging young people to create handmade Valentine’s Day cards to lift the spirits of older adults this holiday season, runs through February 15, 2016, and cards are included in meal deliveries to Meals on Wheels clients across the country. Young people who sign up at DoSomething.org/loveletters and report back with a photo will be eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship.
“Love Letters is one of DoSomething.org’s most popular campaigns because young people get to use their creativity to help brighten older adults’ day during a peak time of isolation and depression,” said Naomi Hirabayashi, Chief Marketing Officer at DoSomething.org.
Since 2014, nearly one million cards were distributed through Meals on Wheels America’s network, which serves nearly 2.5 million homebound seniors each year. The support of the volunteers and meals this network provides is critical to helping them maintain enough independence to stay in their own homes.
About Senior Resources, Inc.
Senior Resources is a non-profit organization that coordinates services, provides resources and encourages the personal choices that allow Columbia’s senior citizens to remain independent. All activities, services and programs of the agency are geared toward promoting independent living, with the goal of helping seniors remain in their homes as long as possible through the support of staff and volunteers, and delaying or preventing institutionalization.
Since 1967, Senior Resources has served Columbia’s frail and elderly residents in three areas:
1) In-home services, including Meals on Wheels, home care, respite care, senior companion services, and case management;
2) Community-based services, including congregate meals, wellness centers, transportation, and physical fitness;
3) Volunteer services, including the Senior Companion program, Foster Grandparent program, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
With local, state and federal government funding, as well as contributions from United Way, personal donations and fundraising activities, Senior Resources offers a variety of programs so that our clients can select the assistance they need to maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle.
About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org makes the world suck less. One of the largest global orgs for young people and social change, our 4.8 million members tackle campaigns that impact every cause, from poverty to violence to the environment to literally everything else. Any cause, anytime, anywhere. *mic drop
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the oldest and largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based senior nutrition programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. This network exists in virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million 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, research, education 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.
