Posted: | March 20, 2017 09:06 AM |
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From: | Representative Kevin J. Boyle |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | March for Meals Day in Pennsylvania |
In the near future, I will be introducing a resolution designating March 22, 2017 as "March for Meals Day" in Pennsylvania. Hunger among senior citizens in America, and across our Commonwealth, is a serious and pervasive problem. Research indicates that 10.2 million seniors across the nation, including 320,000 Pennsylvanians, currently face the threat of hunger. In addition, 15.7 million seniors across the U.S., including almost 750,000 seniors in the Commonwealth, are isolated and living alone. Moreover, it is estimated that 18.7 million seniors in our country, or roughly 812,000 Pennsylvanians, have difficulty paying for basic living needs. The Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) annually sponsors the March for Meals campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of senior hunger and encourage action at the local level. MOWAA is the oldest and largest national organization supporting more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. MOWAA coalesces the resources of state and federal government, local community organizations and businesses, donors and 2 million volunteers into a national safety net for seniors. To add some perspective, for millions of Americans, including more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians, MOWAA enables seniors to remain more healthy and independent, saving billions of dollars in healthcare costs and allowing seniors to remaining in their own homes rather than relocating to a nursing facility. In 2010, MOWAA made a pledge to end senior hunger in the United States by 2020, with a goal of recruiting 6 million people who are willing to stand up and pledge to do what it takes to end senior hunger. Please join me in designating March 22, 2017 as "March for Meals Day" in Pennsylvania in order to raise awareness of senior hunger and to support and assist MOWAA’s goal of ending senior hunger in the United States by 2020. |
Introduced as HR175