"A Grapefruit 'til Monday"

Van Matre Senior Center

Did you know our local Meals on Wheels program delivers hot meals daily Monday through Friday to over 175 homebound senior citizens in our area? Last year, Van Matre Senior Center provided our seniors in the community over 87,951 meals in the center and to home-bound clients.

One Friday, as I delivered a hot meal to an elderly lady, she told me she only had "a grapefruit 'til Monday."  Her words shocked me!  Imagine having a single solitary grapefruit to get you through the entire weekend.

There is such an enormous need.

Many clients are not just elderly, but frail, ill or ailing.  Many have no family that visit.  Loneliness is prevalent.  In many cases, the MOW driver is their sole human interaction they experience all week, and it is not uncommon to open a client's refrigerator only to find a wide-open expanse of empty space.

In the Scriptures, there are 80 direct references to widows.  We know God cares for them!  He is their Defender.  It is my hope that our local churches can pull together in 2020 to help MOW feed these shut-ins.  Let's raise awareness, pass the plate, spread the word, and raise some funds!

To help with this community outreach effort, please earmark donations for "Van Matre Meals on Wheels" in Mountain Home, Arkansas, to assure the donations are applied to our local center.

Their address is:  Van Matre Senior Activity and Wellness Center, 1101 Spring Street, Mountain Home, AR  72653.

You can also make donations online!  Go to their secure website at https://www.aaanwar.org/make-a-donation.  Choose a one-time donation or a recurring donation. Click your donation designation, which is Van Matre Senior Center.  Then click to make your contribution towards the Meals on Wheels program.  Viola'! 

Most importantly, please pray!  Please put not only the Van Matre Meals on Wheels program on your prayer list, but also the clients in the homes, the workers in the kitchen, the drivers out on the roads, and the administrators in the office.  It's all a team effort!

Thank you so very much!  Together, we can make a difference.

P.S.  Many people think MOW is entirely financially supported by the government, which is not accurate.  State and federal funds come in at around $250K, AR Choice Program comes in at around $100K, and the Quorum Court gives about $13K.  That leaves a Fundraising goal per year of $140K for the center, which is accomplished by hosting special events, and having bake sales, and raffles, and bingo parties, and other creative special things -- but really!  One-hundred-and-forty THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!  What a daunting number!  And, there's a Client Donation Goal of $100K, but in all seriousness -- there's no way.  Many of these elderly folks try to contribute, but most don't.  They just don't have it$$$$. Meanwhile, annual expenses this year (to keep the center open) are running over $600K...so.  Thank you for donating!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Sincerely,

Loretta Z., (back-up driver, during the resort's off season, for 6 years)