Serving More Than Just A Meal
Wednesday - October 06, 2010 Share
By Toni Fegers, Director
Lanakila Meals on Wheels
This year, Lanakila Meals on Wheels celebrates 39 years of service. What began as a program with one lunch truck in A’ala Park has expanded into Hawaii’s largest meal provider for seniors, with more than 300 volunteers delivering more than 5,500 meals each week.
A program of Lanakila Pacific, Lanakila Meals on Wheels also offers many other services designed to help Hawaii seniors remain healthy and living in their own homes, rather than more costly premature institutionalization.
Now we are witnessing the building of a crisis - a rise in calls coming from seniors who need our help and the aging baby boomer population described as an impending “silver tsunami.”
The calls for help are coming directly from seniors and increasingly from caregivers who are themselves being affected by the economy. One woman had been taking care of her elderly neighbor for six years. The woman called distraught because she had been laid off a month ago and now could barely keep her family fed. She wanted to know if we could help her neighbor.
It’s stories like this that make up Lanakila Meals on Wheels. It starts with people looking out for each other, neighbor looking after neighbor.
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To help reach more of our elderly neighbors in need, the concept for The Good Table came about from the idea of involving restaurants as collaborators since, like us, they are the kitchens of our community.
On Oct. 7, Lanakila Pacific and honorary chair Chef Alan Wong will host the second annual Good Table. More than 50 popular Oahu dining establishments are each serving a special feast for pre-purchased tables in their restaurants, all to benefit Lanakila Meals on Wheels.
The event helps kick off our holiday drive, including Lanakila Kitchen’s Thanksgiving Meals to Go service, where people can order hot Thanksgiving meals with all the trimmings to benefit Lanakila Meals on Wheels.
To learn more, volunteer, donate or get involved, please visit lanakilapacific.org or call us at 531-0555.
Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.
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