Dine out Thursday to benefit March for Meals

Sat., March 4, 2006

Christopher Rodkey Staff writer

It might be easy for some people to forget about the hundreds of hungry shut-in seniors in the Spokane Valley.

But not for the collection of drivers and volunteers with Spokane Valley’s Meals on Wheels program, who delivered 102,000 meals last year alone.

This month, the Meals on Wheels program is hosting events as part of its “March for Meals” campaign, an effort to raise money, find volunteers and heighten awareness.

With one event already done, the program that delivers hot meals to shut-in seniors from Havana Street to the state line is already making some more money, said Pam Almeida, director of the agency.

A walk-a-thon at the Spokane Valley Mall on Wednesday netted $3,000 dollars, with $1,700 coming from students at Pasadena Park Elementary.

Thursday, several Valley restaurants will donate a portion of the money they make to Meals on Wheels as part of the “dine out so no senior goes hungry” program.

Need is as great as ever, Almeida said.

“Every year we’ve had a cut in federal funding, and every year we have to find a new way to make money,” she said. “We want to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the community.”

Though the Meals on Wheels organization is not formally organized around the country, several of the community programs decided to make March a common fund-raising month.

Almeida will spend several nights and afternoons at area churches, letting them know about the program and asking for donations, she said.

Also, a rummage sale will be held at the new Meals on Wheels offices at 321 S. Dishman-Mica Road, March 17 and 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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