Where Your Dollars Go
What We Know
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The most recent data indicates that 8.3 million American seniors faced the threat of hunger.
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Over 12,000 baby boomers turn 60 years old every single day.
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By 2025, an estimated 9.5 million seniors in the U.S. will experience some form of food insecurity, about 75 percent higher than the number of seniors experiencing food insecurity in 2005.
You deserve to know how the money you donate to Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is used to cure the disease of senior hunger. That is why we have provided for you a detailed explanation of where your dollars go.
Our Vision
Our Vision is to end senior hunger by 2020. Senior hunger is eradicated when:
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All Senior Nutrition Programs in the U.S. are able to meet the full nutrition needs of their current clients.
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No senior in need who requests service from a Senior Nutrition Program is turned away or wait-listed.
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Every senior in need in the U.S. has a program to go to.
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Every senior in need knows that senior nutrition services are available and knows how to ask for help.
There are some 5,000 local Senior Nutrition Programs in the United States. These programs provide well over one million meals each day to seniors who need them. 2.2 million individuals volunteer with Senior Nutrition Programs to serve America’s hungry seniors.
Our Strategy and Progress
MOWAA raises funds to support our Four Pillars, which comprise our strategic approach to eradicating senior hunger:
1. The National Campaign for Community Impact enables local Meals On Wheels programs to provide the next meal to seniors at risk through grants to MOWAA Member programs.
Progress: In 2012, MOWAA awarded nearly $2 million in grants of up to $100,000 each to 275 local Meals On Wheels programs nationwide. These grant funds paid for much-needed upgrades in kitchen equipment, delivery vehicles and computer systems. For every dollar in dues paid by MOWAA Members in 2012, $15 in grants was awarded to MOWAA Members.
MOWAA has formed partnerships with several corporations to become part of our movement to end senior hunger, including the Walmart Foundation, The Caesars Foundation, Subaru of America, Inc., and Bridgestone Retail Operations. For a list of our corporate partners and to learn about how these companies help MOWAA in our mission to end senior hunger by 2020, visit our Corporate Supporters page.
2. The Meals On Wheels Leadership Academy empowers leaders in the senior nutrition field with training, skills and knowledge in key areas of Senior Nutrition Program operation: nutrition, leadership, finance, development, communication and volunteer management.
Progress: In 2012, over 500 senior nutrition professionals participated in live or online trainings through the Meals On Wheels Leadership Academy.
Our 2012 MOWAA Annual Conference was the largest ever, bringing together over 500 senior nutrition professionals for two and a half days of training and networking. Conference attendees participated in educational courses and workshops designed to equip Meals On Wheels leaders with the specific skills and tools they need to carry out their mission.
3. Through The National Response to Senior Hunger, MOWAA conducts research, forms public and private partnerships and raises awareness.
Progress: In March 2008, the Meals On Wheels Association of America Foundation (MOWAAF) released a groundbreaking research study entitled “The Causes, Consequences, and Future of Senior Hunger in America.” The MOWAAF-sponsored study, which was underwritten by the Harrah’s Foundation, is the most comprehensive national research study to look exclusively at the problem of senior hunger in the United States.
A follow up study to “The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in America” entitled "Senior Hunger in the United States: Differences across States and Rural and Urban Areas" was released in 2009. The study updates the findings on the extent and distribution of senior hunger across the nation using data from 2001-2007.
4. Capacity Building allows MOWAA to improve our internal capabilities to enhance Meals On Wheels programs nationally.
Progress: MOWAA works hard to keep administrative costs low–in 2011, overhead was just 9% of our total operating expenses. MOWAA is a Wise Giving Alliance Better Business Bureau Top Accredited Charity.
Key Initiatives
We’re taking major strides towards ending senior hunger by 2020. None of this progress is possible without the interest and support of people like you. These are some of our key initiatives:
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March For Meals is an annual national campaign designed to increase public awareness, recruit new volunteers and increase funding for Meals On Wheels programs across the country. As part of March For Meals, Mayors and elected officials deliver meals with their local programs on Mayors For Meals Day. In 2012, over 1500 mayors and elected officials delivered meals to seniors in their community.
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During the Meals for Moms campaign each Mother’s Day, MOWAA collects e-cards and greeting cards for homebound senior moms. Tens of thousands of messages of hope were sent in 2011 to senior moms who depend on Meals On Wheels to survive. Money raised from this campaign goes into MOWAA’s Meals for Moms Fund to help programs across the U.S. feed homebound senior moms around Mother's Day the following year.
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Under a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), MOWAA developed an Emergency Preparedness training course. The course trains Senior Nutrition Program directors and managers in the use of MOWAA’s Emergency Preparedness (EP) Standards and Implementation Guidelines and the process of preparing a plan to deliver meals in an emergency.
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Our Common Goods program harnesses the buying power of Senior Nutrition Programs nationwide into a powerful group purchasing force. Meals On Wheels Member programs purchasing through Common Goods save thousands of dollars each year on the food, supplies and vehicles they need to feed seniors in their community.
Our Financial Information, Your Privacy
MOWAA is a Better Business Bureau Top Accredited Charity and believes strongly in transparency and in your right to privacy as a donor. Downloadable copies of our latest Annual Report and financial statements are available on our Financial Statements page. Our Privacy Policy explains our commitment to keeping your personal information private and secure. MOWAA does not share our donors’ personal information with any outside organizations. If you have any questions about our financial statements or our Privacy Policy, please feel free to contact Jonah Silberg, MOWAA’s Development Manager, at 703-548-5558 or by email at jonah@mowaa.org.
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