March for meals

Feed America reports five million senior citizens age 60 and older face hunger.

Blackfoot Mayor Paul Loomis signed a proclamation Thursday that deemed the month of March as Meals on Wheels month.

The month will focus on honoring senior citizens along with making sure no senior citizen goes hungry.

Each day volunteers along with employees of the Senior Center prepare and hand deliver fresh hot and cold meals to frail or sick senior citizens.

Assistant cook Valerie Jamison has been preparing meals for the program for over five years and said it’s an important program to have in the community.

“Some of these people would actually not have anything to eat, they just don’t have anyone that can care for them. They don’t have family members anymore to check on them,” Jamison said.

Mardene Gough injured her hands a year ago now relies on the Meal on Wheels program.

“I can’t do things for myself like I use too, and people are kind to bring me food,” Gough said.

Mayor Loomis said the nutrition of our seniors is really important.

“We have a lot of shut ins, senior citizens are really our most vulnerable. Volunteers go check on them and visit with them for a moment and make sure they are OK,” Loomis said.

The program is federally funded and receives donations from Walmart, Feeding America and the Idaho Falls Food Pantry.

According to FeedAmerica.com the number of older adults is projected to increase over the next decade and continue to rise in the following decade. They predict by 2040 there will be 79.7 million older adults, more than twice as many as in 2000.

Executive Director of Bingham County Senior Center Pamela Beus said for the year of 2015 they delivered over 37,000 meals and drove over 27,000 miles.

Beus said that number grew by 5,000 more than the year before.

“The program is continuing to grown because of the baby boomer generation is entering the senior citizen generation there’s going to become a bigger need for the Meals on Wheels program. Right now, we are short on drivers,” Beus said.

Beus said this month is about raising awareness in the community about seniors on limited incomes and senior hunger.

“I can’t image our seniors not having this program, we don’t want them to have to choose between medication, heat or necessities like food,” Beus said.