Ford Feeds the Hungary for Thanksgiving
Posted on October 9, 2010 by admin
– Because of the company’s commitment to programs like the Detroit Area Agency on Aging Holiday Meals on Wheels Program, Ford Motor Company Fund was a major sponsor donating $20,000 to help feed 11,200 local homebound seniors on Thanksgiving and Christmas for the third consecutive year.
“We understand how important it is for Detroit Area Agency on Aging’s Holiday Meals on
Wheels Program and the people they serve,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “We all share the commitment of our founder Henry Ford to make a difference in peoples lives”.
Volunteers from Ford Motor Company, along with hundreds of others, packed, distributed and individually delivered fresh-cooked, hot nutritious meals to 5,500 homebound seniors in metro Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. The two day process started on Wednesday, November 24, where hundreds of volunteers assembled the cold portion (beverages, bread and dessert) of the meal then on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, the volunteers packaged the hot food portion of the meal for distribution to twelve sites.
Through the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) Detroit Meals on Wheels, a federal and state funded program, meals are delivered to seniors five days a week. Unfortunately, there are no public funds to feed metro Detroit area homebound seniors during weekends and holidays. In 1988, DAAA under the leadership of Paul Bridgewater, joined the national campaign and created the Holiday Meals on Wheels (HMOW) program, adopting the slogan that “Hunger Takes No Holiday” to feed seniors who would otherwise go hungry on holidays.
“As we face cutbacks in funding for this program, we graciously thank the Ford Motor Company Fund for their willingness to again support the important need to feed our homebound senior population. We asked them to join us in this holiday tradition that recognizes hunger takes no holiday and they provided a generous award again,” said Mr. Paul Bridgewater, Detroit Area Agency on Aging President & CEO.
HMOW currently feeds between 3,500 to 5,700 seniors each Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and Labor Day. These holiday meals are made possible by a grassroots campaign that raises private contributions. Hundreds of DAAA employees, employees of other companies, partnering organizations, corporations, churches and individuals sell holiday greeting cards for $5 each. For every card sold, a homebound senior is fed through this program.
To volunteer for the Christmas Day delivery, or to make a donation, call (313) 446-4444.
About Detroit Area Agency on Aging
DAAA, whose mission is to promote healthy aging and enhance the quality of life for older adults, is a private nonprofit agency established in 1980. DAAA serves approximately 56,000 older adults age 60 and over and caregivers residing in the City of Detroit and metropolitan areas including the five Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and Highland Park annually. DAAA’s services include Community Access, Wellness Services, Healthy Aging and Nutrition Services feeding about 4,000 homebound and disabled adults daily through the Detroit Meals on Wheels program, Care Management Services for homebound seniors, the Mature Workers Program for low-income individuals age 55 or older, the Medicaid and Medicare Assistance Program, Outreach Services, and the Senior Solution on WGPR 107.5 every Saturday at 10 am. The organization is located at 1333 Brewery Park in Detroit. For further information call (313) 446-4444 or visit www.daaa1a.org.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford operates. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009 and made possible by funding from Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Company Fund supports programs that foster innovative education, driving safety, and American heritage. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous, interactive learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. Through the Volunteer Corps, 20,000 Ford employees and retirees participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in communities around the world. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.community.ford.com.