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Tyson Foods grant supports Meals on Wheels

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April 27, 2017

Tyson Foods has awarded a grant in the amount of $9,250 to Senior Resources’ Meals on Wheels program. The funding will provide daily delivery of a hot meal to five Richland County seniors for one year.

“Most of us don’t realize how difficult it is for some people to simply leave their homes to get the food they need,” said Debra Vernon, director of corporate social responsibility for Tyson Foods. “This donation will not only result in a greater number of clients being served, but also increase awareness of food insecurity in Richland County.”

With a corps of more than 300 volunteers, the Meals on Wheels program delivers a hot, nutritious meal each day to clients’ homes. The nutritionally balanced meals provide one-third of the daily nutritional requirements for the homebound clients.

“Last year, our volunteers delivered more than 91,000 meals to more than 543 elderly and disabled adults in Richland County,” said Senior Resources Executive Director Pam Dukes. “But we also have a waiting list of people we can’t afford to serve. This generous donation from Tyson Foods will help us in our efforts to serve more of the seniors in our community who need assistance.”

According to the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger (NFESH), South Carolina ranks fourth-worst in the nation for food instability among senior citizens. More than 19 percent of South Carolina’s senior citizens are threatened with hunger, according to a 2016 report from NFESH. Senior Resources is the only provider of Meals on Wheels in Richland County.

“In most cases, the meal our volunteers deliver is the only meal of the day for the clients we serve,” Dukes said. “Without meal delivery, many of our clients would be forced to choose between paying for food, or for medication and household expenses.”