Meals on Wheels Association of Niagara (MOWAN) announced today that October is Community Support Month. Community Support Month is celebrated across Ontario and is an opportunity to acknowledge and raise awareness of the value of supports available in our region. October 4 – October 8, 2021 is Meals on Wheels Week. Each week, dedicated volunteers deliver approximately 1600 hot meals and 1500 frozen meals to individuals living in the Niagara Region. This valuable program helps individuals live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. As Ontario’s population ages, community support services will become even more important.

Meals on Wheels is not only designed to ensure that vulnerable seniors and adults with disabilities receive a nutritious meal, but it also ensures that these individuals are checked on regularly. This vital safety net allows people to remain healthier and independent in their own homes. This has never been as important as it has been this past year. Over the last year and a half, the COVID-19 pandemic further isolated those who were already feeling the effects of loneliness and isolation. Food security was also a very real issue for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Meals on Wheels programs were able to ensure that those in need received nutritious meals during the height of the pandemic.

Shannon McHugh, Chair of MOWAN, says, “As we continue to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, being able to highlight the Meals on Wheels programs across the Niagara Region is more important than ever. Celebrating Meals on Wheels week allows us to bring awareness to the Meals on Wheels programs here in the region and emphasize their importance to our community. More than that, it offers a chance to thank our volunteers who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to make sure meals get delivered”.

MOWAN is a collaboration of Meals on Wheels agencies across the Niagara Region. Each Meals on Wheels program relies heavily on the kind donations received in all communities within the region. For more information or to donate, please visithttp://www.mealsonwheelsniagara.ca/ or call the toll-free number, 1-877-665-6325.

Each Meals on Wheels agency is a volunteer based, not-for-profit agency that provides services to help seniors and adults with disabilities live independently in their own homes.