2010 MARCH FOR MEALS HIGHLIGHTS

Meals-on-Wheels of Greater San Diego, Inc. – San Diego, California

Meals-on-Wheels of Greater San Diego, Inc. was able to raise awareness and $2,140 with their March For Meals events and fundraisers. The strong efforts of this program recruited 14 mayors and city council members for their Mayors For Meals event, and in the process garnered media attention on the television, Internet and in print. This program raised funds with their first-ever spaghetti dinner, which brought in $800, and partnered with three popular local restaurants that gave partial proceeds to Meals-on-Wheels of Greater San Diego, Inc. Additionally, the program was able to garner over 1,500 physical signatures around the county for the Pledge to end senior hunger on five tablecloths.

Osceola Council on Aging, Inc. – Kissimmee, Florida

March was a jam-packed month for Osceola Council on Aging with numerous events for both March For Meals and Mayors for Meals. The program kicked off the month with its Mayors For Meals event, which included four proclamations to end senior hunger and the participation of several local officials. Two major events brought in great amounts of attention and funds: a 5k Walk/Run, aptly named the “March For Meals Rock & Roll – Run & Stroll,” and the grand opening of “Jimmy’s Place,” which is a place to temporarily house the pets of seniors in emergency situations. Osceola Council on Aging also partnered with several local medical practices, restaurants, two resorts (Disney and Gaylord) and other businesses to raise funds. With 12 tablecloths set up around the area, the program recruited 2,350 people to take the Pledge. All of these fantastic efforts paid off, with the total fundraising for March For Meals events being $17,000 dedicated for meals and an additional $4,500 set aside for the Pet Program.

Missoula Aging Services – Missoula, Montana

Fundraising efforts were the main focus of Missoula Aging Services’ March For Meals events. Between a direct mailing to 3,000 households, a “Meals at the Mall” event that partnered with several restaurants at a local mall and solicitation from volunteers, Missoula Aging Services raised a total of $15,771. An additional $11,481 was donated as in-kind services for advertising and prizes. The program recruited 677 people to take the Pledge to end senior hunger and received media coverage through nine on-air appearances and several print sources. Additionally, Missoula Aging Services involved the younger crowd with students from a local high school raising money and delivering meals.

State College Meals On Wheels, Inc. – State College, Pennsylvania

State College Meals on Wheels raised at least $26,800 through its March For Meals fundraising efforts. The main event was their “A Meal That Matters” benefit, but that wasn’t all: the program also worked with the Penn State’s Women’s Soccer team to deliver meals and were represented at a middle school service fair, reaching out to a younger crowd. The program recruited over 680 people to sign the Pledge on a tablecloth, with an additional 385 people signing pledge sheets. The Mayors For Meals event was also a success, with the local mayor and a town official participating.

Meals For The Elderly – San Angelo, Texas

What does it take to raise $85,150.37 and 13,478 pounds of canned food in a month? For Meals For The Elderly of San Angelo, Texas, the formula included numerous PSAs both on the radio and television, lots of advertisements, many local business partnerships, and events that allowed the community to be involved. This program went all-out for March For Meals, not only focusing heavily on advertising to bring in donations but also utilizing other events to help draw attention and fundraising. The advertising for March For Meals included a full-color, half-page ad in a local circular that was sent to 42,821 households, a digital billboard ad, a Pledge button on the program’s website, five radio interviews, a PSA both on several radio stations and local television stations, flyers at local schools and a lead story in the program’s newsletter that was sent to 10,213 homes and businesses. Not only did Meals For the Elderly utilize strong advertising but they also created events that drew in the community, such as “Heroes Against Hunger,” in which 53 people from a local Air Force base, sheriff’s office and police and fire departments delivered meals on 37 routes and helped in the program’s kitchen. The program also organized a “Meals For The Elderly” day at a local Chili’s once a week for the month of March as another event. March proved to be a very busy but successful month for Meals For The Elderly./p>

Beloit Meals On Wheels, Inc. – Beloit, Wisconsin

With lots of creative ideas and partnerships with local businesses, Beloit Meals On Wheels, Inc. was able to raise over $13,000 and recruit about 600 people to sign the Pledge to end senior hunger. This program partnered with many local restaurants, banks and churches to create a calendar of different events all throughout March to raise money for March For Meals. Events included everything from a wine and cordial tasting (at which all the proceeds, totaling $5,000, went to Beloit Meals On Wheels) to a penny drive at an elementary school to the sale of paper shamrocks for donations. The program advertised all of its March For Meals events with aptly themed fliers and a calendar of events in their newsletter.

Longmont Meals On Wheels – Longmont, Colorado

A local Texas Roadhouse restaurant played a large role in the success of Longmont Meals On Wheels of Longmont, Colorado. The restaurant kept an ongoing hostess contest to raise the most $1 or $5 donations for the month of March, and hosted a Mayors For Meals event where the mayor greeted patrons. The restaurant not only hosted the events but also sent out email invitations to 8,000 of their patrons. Longmont Meals On Wheels also put on a BUNCO Bash event, which 120 people attended, and partnered with a local automotive dealer that donated $5 for every oil change in the month of March. At all of these events, a Pledge tablecloth was set up for people to sign. With these strong partnerships and efforts, Longmont Meals On Wheels was able to recruit 207 Pledge-takers and raised $5,326.

Meals on Wheels of Shawnee and Jefferson Counties, Inc. – Topeka, Kansas

A fun concept to recruit women volunteers, “High Heels Deliver Meals,” was the key to success for Meals on Wheels of Shawnee and Jefferson Counties, Inc.’s March For Meals campaign. Additionally, three mayors were recruited for the Mayors For Meals campaign, along with many other volunteers for the program. Twenty-five pledge-takers were also recruited, signing a Pledge tablecloth. Television, radio and newspaper articles covered the two campaigns.

Caddo Council on Aging, Inc. – Shreveport, Louisiana

Several major March For Meals events resulted in Caddo Council on Aging’s raising over $50,000. One such event was “Monopoly for Meals,” an event held at a casino. The event was sold out and heavily advertised by using social networking, such as Facebook and professionally made posters. Another major event tied together the March For Meals and Mayors For Meals campaigns. A literal “March For Meals” kicked off the Mayors For Meals campaign, in which one local mayor and nine other representatives delivered meals. At this event, there were approximately 400 attendees, many of whom signed the Pledge tablecloth. Media coverage for the campaign included four radio stations, several feature articles in local magazines, newspapers and newsletters, and coverage on three major local radio stations.

HESSCO Elder Services – Sharon, Massachusetts

HESSCO Elder Services recruited 32 volunteers, 1,313 Pledge-signers and eight elected officials, including a state senator, to deliver meals through its March For Meals and Mayors for Meals efforts. With a couple of innovations, such as a “Pledge to End Senior Hunger” Hotline, a special concert by the name of “No Hunger, No More” and a dinner gala showcasing a Meals On Wheels dinner to over 500 people, HESSCO Elder Services was able to create a successful March For Meals campaign that brought in both Pledge-signers and funds.

Mecosta County Commission on Aging – Meals Program – Mecosta, Michigan

Several fun events, along with three corporate partners, 16 sponsoring organizations and five collaborating churches, resulted in Mecosta County Commission on Aging’s raising over $30,500 for its March For Meals campaign. A “Share Your Love” Dinner and Dance was one of the main fundraising events with record-breaking attendance. Another event, which brought in $2,008 of the total funds raised, was a “Many Hands – One Heart” program. It involved local children all signing a banner pledging to end senior hunger and also conducting a “Penny War” to raise money. In addition, one local mayor and 11 other public officials participated in the program’s Mayors For Meals campaign. Nine articles in local papers, along with radio coverage on three local radio stations, also helped to bring in donations.

Cabarrus Meals On Wheels – Kannapolis, North Carolina

Cabarrus Meals On Wheels raised $12,000 with its March For Meals events. An Applebee’s pancake and sausage breakfast raised over $1,100, while a direct mailing to households brought in the rest of the funds raised. In addition to raising money, the program also recruited four mayors, one member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, a county commissioner and their board members to deliver meals for their Mayors For Meals event. Cabarrus Meals on Wheels also taught a local fourth grade class about service and utilized the class help to pack coolers with meals. The program also created a special event called “Caring Clergy For Meals,” in which local clergymen delivered meals.

Nutrition and Services for Seniors – Beaumont, Texas

Not only did Nutrition and Services for Seniors of Beaumont, Texas, include five mayors in its March For Meals and Mayors For Meals campaigns but also some other younger helpers: local girl scouts. The girl scouts helped assemble and deliver breakfast meals, with help from some of the mayors recruited for Mayors For Meals. The delivery event received media attention on two local television stations, radio coverage and an ad in a local newspaper. Additionally, the program had two tablecloths to sign (one for March For Meals and one for Mayors For Meals), which brought in 477 Pledge signatures.