‘Connection and nutrition’: Meals on Wheels campaign aims to raise awareness of senior hunger and isolation
-
- Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, center, poses for a photo with members, staff and volunteers of Mountainland Association of Governments during the March for Meals campaign kickoff at doTERRA in Pleasant Grove on Monday.
-
- Ex NFL and BYU football player Bronson Kaufusi speaks with community members and staff of Mountainland Association of Governments during the March for Meals campaign kickoff at doTERRA in Pleasant Grove on Monday.
-
- The March for Meals kickoff event for Meals on Wheels programs in Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties was held at doTERRA in Pleasant Grove on Monday.
-
- Attendees are shown during the March for Meals campaign kickoff event at doTERRA in Pleasant Grove on Monday.
A program geared toward ensuring Utah’s most vulnerable populations don’t go without a hot meal are bringing communities together to fight senior hunger and loneliness.
On Monday, the Meals on Wheels program that operates in Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties kicked off this year’s March for Meals campaign.
The goal is to highlight the growing need for support and resources for the programs while encouraging donations and volunteering.
Leaders, members and staff from the Mountainland Association of Governments, or MAG, which operates the Meals on Wheels programs in the three counties, hosted a kickoff event at the doTERRA campus in Pleasant Grove on Monday. They were joined by state and local leaders, emphasizing the impact of the resource.
The Utah, Summit and Wasatch county chapters of the organization face ongoing financial challenges, leaving hundreds of seniors wait-listed to receive meals.
While the program receives state and federal funding, the agency says it’s not enough to keep up with current expenses.
“We have seen an unprecedented increase in demand for our services over the past year, and this demand continues to outpace funding,” said Jimmy Golding, executive director of Meals on Wheels Summit, Utah and Wasatch. “This event is a crucial opportunity to engage with our community, showcase the essential role we play in the lives of seniors and inspire more people to volunteer and contribute. Food is medicine, and so is companionship. No senior should have to wait for a nutritious meal or a friendly visit.”
Throughout March, Meals on Wheels programs will rally together to raise awareness, recruit volunteers and generate the resources needed to serve every senior in need.
Utah, a state once known for having one of the youngest populations in the country, is slowly experiencing an increase in its aging adults. A report released by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute in 2024 suggested Utah’s retirement age of 65 will make up 20% of the state’s population by 2060.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has presented several proposals to the Utah Legislature in efforts to bolster resources for seniors. At a December 2024 news conference, Cox proposed the state spend $4.5 million to fund Meals on Wheels programs throughout the state.
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said the governor’s office acknowledged the challenges being faced by the Meals on Wheels programs, though the total amount Cox requested may not be granted.
“It’s definitely not going to be as much as is needed, but it’s going to be something and the state has an obligation to help,” Henderson said during Monday’s event. “But no matter what we do, and it’s never enough, we need to do more. The state can’t do this alone. It takes all of us. It takes public-private partnerships, it takes community engagement, it takes volunteers. We need more of everything to make sure that our seniors are being taken care of.”
Former NFL and Brigham Young University football player Bronson Kaufusi served as the event’s keynote speaker. He noted the importance of time and the connections formed through visits, emphasizing the role of Meals on Wheels in providing both nutrition and social interaction.
“I love how Meals on Wheels provides both connection and nutrition,” said Kaufusi, who is also the son of Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi. “I think about our own lives right now, where you build your greatest relationships. In my family, it’s at the dinner table over food. We all sit together and we eat and talk and … I can’t imagine not having that opportunity.”
Golding said whether it’s volunteering at least one hour a week or contributing with a donation, community members are encouraged to visit www.mowsuw.org and learn ways to get involved.
