Meals on Wheels Carson City seeks donors

Meals on Wheels Carson City sent up the bat signal to seek local superheroes to join The Reliables, a team of community-minded folks determined to tackle hunger and loneliness in Carson’s home-bound senior population.

The Reliables, a superhero themed grass-roots campaign using social and non-traditional media, is a light-hearted and fun way to bring awareness to Carson City’s home-bound seniors and to launch a fundraising campaign to help cover costs of the program not covered by state and federal funding, Courtney Warner, administrator for Meals on Wheels Carson City and executive director for the Carson City Senior Center, said.

“The Reliables represent all of our community members who support and serve our home-bound seniors including our kitchen staff and drivers,” Warner said. “Our kitchen crew arrives before dawn to start cooking and our drivers hit up to 300 homes per day, serving more than 90,000 meals a year.”

Warner said the campaign is aimed at reducing the program’s annual deficit. Each meal costs about $6, and the program receives half from government funding and some additional funding from donations, leaving a gap in funding the organization must absorb. The campaign, she said, is geared toward people who are interested in giving back to the community who may never have donated before, or thought they couldn’t afford to give.

“We’re looking for people who want to give, but can’t make large donations,” she said. “Just $6 a day, a week, a month, or a year can give a senior super powers and make an enormous difference in their lives.”

In addition to providing hot, nutritious meals, Meals on Wheels also provides a daily wellness check.

“For many seniors, this may be their only balanced, nutritious meal they have each day, and the only contact they will have with another human being,” Warner said. “For family members who live far away, it is comforting to know that someone is checking on their parent, grandparent or loved one.”

In addition to finding new, recurring donors, the campaign is also geared toward securing corporate sponsors for Meals on Wheels.

“The demand for Meals on Wheels is growing every year, and with our aging population, it’s going to continue to outpace our ability to fund,” Warner said. “For the first time in 30 years, we are asking for community support.”

Warner said the campaign launched with Mayor Bob Crowell making his donation as the city’s first Reliable, and the campaign will hit full speed on Nevada Day.

“Watch for our float and start collecting our superhero trading cards during the parade,” she said. “You’ll want to be the next Reliable.”

Mayor Crowell said he was pleased with the campaign and was excited to join the Reliables.

“It’s not only a great idea and a fun campaign, it’s the right thing to do,” Crowell said. “Join me and the Reliables to support Meals on Wheels Carson City.”

To join The Reliables, visit www.carsoncityseniorcenter.org. For information on Meals on Wheels Carson City, contact Warner at cwarner@carson.org, or call the Senior Center at 775-883-0703.