Thousands Of Broward Seniors Receiving Hurricane Care Packs
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PLANTATION (CBSMiami) -- Meals on Wheels South Florida is expanding its Hurricane Care Pack initiative which provides thousands of Medicare-eligible seniors with five days of nutritious and shelf-stable food to better prepare them for potential food interruptions that may take place during hurricane season.
"Being prepared for catastrophic weather events with sufficient food, drinking water, prescription medications and other amenities is particularly important for seniors in Florida and in coastal communities along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts," said Jessica Chen, MD, Chief Quality Officer at ChenMed, which is helping sponsor the 2017 Hurricane Care Pack campaign.
"It can be hard for seniors to complete all needed preparations in the few hours immediately preceding a hurricane, so we're helping Meals on Wheels prepare local seniors with deliveries of Hurricane Care Packs containing five days of nutritious and shelf stable food." added Dr. Chen.
Millions of older Americans are at risk for hunger. According to the National Council on Aging, 10.2 million older Americans faced the threat of hunger in 2014, representing 15.8-percent of adults over 60 years of age in the United States. With food insecurity growing among older adults, it's particularly important for seniors living in hurricane areas to be prepared with at least five days of non-perishable and nutritious food in their homes.
Mark Adler, MPH, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels South Florida, noted that "the 2017 hurricane forecast is for five to nine hurricanes, and up to 19 named tropical storms – any of which has the potential to interrupt normal food sources for seniors, particularly those without strong personal networks of family and friends able to help them after a weather event knocks out electrical power, and brings flooding or wind damage to a community. We're grateful to Chen Senior Medical Center and to CBS EcoMedia for helping sponsor our 2017 Hurricane Care Pack campaign."
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast, this should be an above-normal season with 14 to 19 named storms; with five to nine hurricanes, of which two to three could be major hurricanes.
During the campaign kick-off event at the Southwest Focal Point Community Center in Pembroke Pines, 200 to 400 seniors were given free Meals on Wheels South Florida Hurricane Care Packs containing five-days of non-perishable, shelf stable food by some two dozen Chen Senior Medical Center doctors and volunteers.
Over the next few weeks, drivers of the Chen Senior Medical Center vans that provide courtesy transport for seniors to see their doctors, will be making hundreds of home deliveries of Hurricane Care Packs directly to the homes of at risk seniors among the more than 1,200 on the Meals on Wheels waiting list for weekly in-home food deliveries.
"It's tragic that so many South Florida seniors do not know how they will feed themselves week to week," said Dr. Chen. "It's vital for businesses and individuals to keep supporting nonprofit food relief efforts, as seniors can't be left waiting for food. Food insecurity is a big deal, when it comes to the improving the health and well-being of seniors."
Chen Senior Medical Center and CBS EcoMedia are encouraging businesses, diverse community organizations, and individuals to make charitable donations to Meals on Wheels South Florida, so it can become an even stronger beacon of hope and help to tens of thousands of area seniors at risk for hunger. Financial gifts could fund more deliveries of Hurricane Care Packs, and help reduce the waiting list of more than 1,200 seniors still needing weekly home food deliveries from MOWSF.
