20th annual March for Meals
City officials and members of community organizations are invited to join SAGE Eldercare during Community Champions Week (March 20-24) as it participates in the 20th annual March for Meals – a month-long, nationwide coming together of local community organizations, businesses, government officials and caring individuals to ensure that homebound and vulnerable older adults are not forgotten.
Past participants have included Summit Mayor, Nora Radest, Police Chiefs from Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Springfield and Mountainside and local government officials and volunteers.
Established in 1966, SAGE’s Meals on Wheels is the oldest continuously run home delivery meal program in New Jersey. In 2022, approximately 100 volunteers delivered more than 28,875 meals to 250 people in Union County (Berkeley Heights, Mountainside, New Providence, Springfield, and Summit), Essex County (Millburn and Short Hills), and Morris County (Chatham and Madison). The average age of the clients SAGE delivers meals to is 83. Of those, 65% say they rarely have visitors other than their ‘Meals on Wheels’ volunteer.
“The services that we provide older adults in our area are critical; it’s not just a warm meal, but also a friendly visit, sometimes the only human contact a person gets the whole day,” said Terry Kaniuk, Volunteer Manager for Meals on Wheels. “Together, we can keep older adults living independently, healthier at home and feeling more connected to their community as they age.”
For more information about participating in March for Meals, contact Terry Kaniuk at: 908-598-5514 or email: tkaniuk@sageeldercare.org.
About SAGE
Since 1954, SAGE Eldercare has been helping make the communities it serves amazing places to age. The organization provides a wide array of information, support, and services designed to help individuals lead the most independent and active lives possible. From helping with errands and providing Meals on Wheels, to exercise classes, community programs, care planning, an adult day health care center, and home health care, SAGE’s expertise helps older adults remain independent in their own homes. SAGE is committed to being the leading provider of programs and services to meet the changing needs of older adults, their families, and caregivers throughout Morris, Union, Essex, and Somerset Counties. For more information, please call 908-273-5550 or visitsageeldercare.org.
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 mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
