Greater Lynn Senior Services is proud to announce that it has received a $2,500 grant from Meals on Wheels America to support its client pet support program. Funding will be used to provide food for the pets of area clients, which can often be a financial and physical challenge for clients to do so on their own.
“Pets can help alleviate issues common among seniors such as social isolation and depression,” said Ben Graff, Nutrition Program Manager. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to assist our elders in keeping both their pets and their independence.”
In total, Meals on Wheels America has granted over $200,000 to nearly 100 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 the former Banfield Charitable Trust. To date, the grant program has distributed more than $2.4 million in funding and pet food donations.
“While pets are invaluable companions to homebound seniors, positively impacting their health and well-being, they can also be a challenge to care for alone,” said Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander. “The Meals on Wheels Loves Pets program enables Greater Lynn Senior Services to provide pet food and other necessary services to ease some of that burden and make it possible for local seniors and their beloved pets to stay together.”
The $2,500 grant translates to roughly 10,000 additional meals that will be provided to pets living with seniors.
About GLSS
GLSS is the non-profit Aging Services Access Point and Area Agency on Aging serving people age 60 and older and adults living with disabilities in Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott. The agency offers a wide range of services—information, referrals, home care, transportation, meals, advocacy, and more—to help people remain living independently, safely and with dignity, in the community settings of their choice. For more information visit www.glss.net
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves 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.