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Mayors For Meals

Old Colony Elder Services Announces Multi-Community “Mayors for Meals ” A Huge Success

Mayor Linda M. Balzotti delivered a meal to Diane Damon

Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), a private, non-profit agency designated as an Aging Services Access Point (ASAP), recently held Mayors For Meals in the communities of Brockton, East Bridgewater, Plymouth and Stoughton.

Mayors For Meals is part of the Meals On Wheels Association of America’s March For Meals national campaign. Elected officials, law enforcement officers, Council On Aging (COA) Directors and OCES representatives from the four communities participated in the event to show their support for their community’s homebound and hungry seniors.

OCES’ Mayors For Meals event was held on Wednesday, March 20th in Brockton and Stoughton. Mayor Linda M. Balzotti and Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES, delivered noon-time meals to Brockton area seniors. Selectman John Anzivino, Karen Hall, Director of Stoughton COA and Courtney Niebauer, Nutrition Program Manager at OCES, delivered the meals in Stoughton.

On March 21st, Mayors For Meals was held in East Bridgewater. Police Chief John Cowan, Sergeant Steve Brown and Officer Tallitha Connor of East Bridgewater Police along with Nancy Hill, Director of East Bridgewater COA; Timothy Valentine, Assistant Executive Director of OCES; and Courtney Niebauer, Nutrition Program Manager of OCES, delivered the noon time meals.

Mayors For Meals was held on March 26th in Plymouth. Chairman of Plymouth Selectman Matt Muratore along with Constance DiLego, Director of Plymouth COA and Timothy Valentine, Assistant Executive Director of OCES, delivered the meals to Plymouth seniors.

“We’re very fortunate that many of our elected officials, law enforcement and COA Directors were able to participate in our Mayors For Meals event, which encompassed four communities,” said DiGiorgi.

She continued, “We have seniors who are homebound and unable to manage their grocery shopping or attend one of our congregate meal sites. The Meals On Wheels program is absolutely essential to them, as they would otherwise not get a nutritious daily meal. Furthermore, the daily social contact is crucial to check on the safety of seniors living alone.”

The Meals On Wheels program serves individuals age 60 and over. Both the Meals On Wheels program and the congregate meal sites rely on help from volunteers. For more information contact the OCES Nutrition Department at (508) 584-1561.

About Meals On Wheels Association of America

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the only national association and network dedicated solely to ending senior hunger in America. MOWAA is the oldest and largest organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 states as well as the U.S. territories. MOWAA’s vision is to end senior hunger by 2020. To obtain more information about MOWAA or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit the MOWAA website at www.mowaa.org.

About OCES

Founded in 1974, OCES serves 20 towns in Plymouth County as well as Avon, Easton and Stoughton. OCES is a private, non-profit organization located in Brockton and designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The organization’s mission is to support the independence and dignity of elders and individuals with disabilities by providing essential information and services that promote healthy and safe living.

The agency has 169 employees and operates more than 15 programs serving elders, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

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“Mayors for Meals Day” a Success

Brockton Mayor Linda M. Balzotti (on right) delivers a meal to Meals On Wheels recipient Linda Brown on “Mayors for Meals Day”.

Each year, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES), an elder services agency providing supportive resources to seniors living in greater Plymouth county and the Brockton area, participates in the National March for Meals Campaign, sponsored by the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) through their special program known as “Mayors for Meals Day”.

This year, Brockton Mayor Linda M. Balzotti and Diana DiGiorgi, Executive Director of OCES delivered noontime meals to Meals On Wheels recipients throughout the Brockton area.

The “Mayors for Meals Day” campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the Meals On Wheels program, recruit new volunteers and encourage local fundraising by involving local mayors and other public officials.

“We have seniors who are homebound and unable to manage their grocery shopping or attend one of our congregate meal sites. The Meals On Wheels program is absolutely essential to them as they would otherwise not get a nutritious daily meal. Furthermore, the daily social contact is crucial to check on the safety of those living alone,” noted OCES Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi.

The Meals On Wheels program serves individuals age 60 and over, as well as disabled persons under the age of 60. Both the Meals On Wheels program and the congregate meal sites rely on help from volunteers. For more information contact the Nutrition Department at Old Colony Elder Services (508) 584-1561.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is a private, non-profit corporation designated as one of 27 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES offers a number of programs to serve seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

OCES serves elders, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts: Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

“Mayors for Meals Day” a SuccessRead More

“Mayors for Meals Day” a Success

Each year, Old Colony Elder Services, an elder services agency providing supportive resources to seniors living in greater Plymouth county and the Brockton area, participates in the National March for Meals Campaign, sponsored by the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) through a special component known as “Mayors for Meals Day”.

This year, Mathew J. Muratore, Selectman in Plymouth, Constance DiLego, Plymouth Council on Aging Director and Tim Valentine, Assistant Executive Director of Old Colony Elder Services delivered noontime meals for the nutrition site at the Plymouth Council on Aging.

This campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the Meals on Wheels program, recruit new volunteers and encourage local fundraising by involving local mayors and other public officials.

“We have many seniors who are unable to get to the grocery store or to one of our congregate meal sites. The Meals On Wheels program is absolutely essential to them as they would otherwise not get a nutritious daily meal,” noted OCES Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi.

The Meals On Wheels program serves residents age 60 and over, as well as disabled residents under 60. Both the Meals On Wheels program and the congregate meal sites rely on help from volunteers.

For more information contact Shawn Smith, Nutrition Program Director at Old Colony Elder Services (508) 584-1561.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services is one of 27 private, non-profit corporations designated as Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCES offers a number of programs to seniors, individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers such as Family Caregiver Support; Adult Family Care; Supportive Housing; Nutrition; Money Management; Protective Services and Home Care.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in 23 towns in Southeastern Massachusetts:
Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization. In 2009, OCES was honored with the Metro-South Chamber of Commerce’s “Economic Impact Award”. The agency has 140 employees. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

The agency has 140 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at http://www.oldcolonyelderservices.org.

(L to R) Meals on Wheels driver Rick Caproni; Mathew J. Muratore, Selectman in Plymouth; resident Dorothy Halunen and Plymouth Council on Aging Director Constance DiLego on “Mayors for Meals Day”

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Brockton’s Mayor Harrington Participates in “Mayors For Meals” National Initiative

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Brockton Mayor James Harrington was among more than 1,000 mayors across the country to support the Meals On Wheels programs in their cities by delivering meals to seniors on March 18th in what is known as “Mayors For Meals” Day. Mayor Harrington and OCES Assistant Director Timothy Valentine and Nutrition Director Shawn Smith delivered the noontime meals to 15 Meals On Wheels clients at their homes last week.

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) has designated March for their annual national campaign known as “March For Meals”. Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) of Brockton participates in this campaign each year, which is designed to increase public awareness, recruit new volunteers and encourage local fundraising.

“We have many seniors in Brockton who are unable to get to the grocery store or to one of our congregate meal sites and who otherwise would not get a nutritious daily meal. The Meals On Wheels program is absolutely essential to them,” noted OCES Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi.

The Meals On Wheels program serves Brockton residents age 60 and over, as well as disabled residents under 60. Both the Meals On Wheels program and the congregate meal sites rely on help from volunteers. Meals On Wheels currently needs volunteer drivers to deliver meals to elders throughout the Brockton area. Volunteer drivers typically deliver 15-20 meals a day, between 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and are reimbursed for mileage. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday, yet they may help out for any number of days per week that they desire.

Volunteers are also needed to set up, bag and distribute meals at the Belair, Manning, Caffrey and Campello congregate meal sites.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering at least two hours per week as a Meals On Wheels driver or as a helper at one of the congregate meal sites, contact Shawn Smith, Nutrition Director at OCES at (508) 584-1561.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent
unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 130 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers.  For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

Brockton’s Mayor Harrington Participates in “Mayors For Meals” National InitiativeRead More