Meals on Wheels Loves Pets Grant

Meals on Wheels Loves Pets Grant is sponsored by Meals on Wheels America. Supports local programs that help homebound seniors care for their pets, often used for walking services, pet food delivery, and basic veterinary care to keep families together.

Meals on Wheels America And Petsmart Charities® Grant Over $500,000 To 60+ Local Meals On Wheels Programs In 2022 To Support Access To Veterinary Care For Seniors’ Pets Skip to navigation Accesskey "n" Skip to content Accesskey "c" Skip to footer Accesskey "f" Millions of seniors face hunger, isolation and other challenges that impact their health and well-being. Learn how Meals on Wheels helps address these growing issues.

Learn more about the issues Meals on Wheels Waitlists Every year, Meals on Wheels serves over 2 million seniors, but that’s only a fraction of those waiting for help. As America’s senior population grows, the need is outpacing the capacity of local Meals on Wheels providers — and the result is a national crisis of waitlists.

Learn More About Waitlists From meal delivery to research and advocacy, our work supports the health, connection and independence of seniors across the country. Every year, Meals on Wheels serves over 2 million seniors, but that’s only a fraction of those waiting for help. At Meals on Wheels America, we have a plan to End the Wait and ensure that every senior who needs Meals on Wheels, gets it.

And we need your help. See how Meals on Wheels changes lives through real stories, powerful outcomes and the national movement to support our senior neighbors.

A Year of Showing Up: Our 2025 Impact at Meals on Wheels America A Year of Showing Up: Our 2025 Impact at Meals on Wheels America Our mission is to empower local community programs to improve the health and quality of life of the seniors they serve so that no one is left hungry or isolated. For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels has remained the most effective solution to address senior hunger and isolation.

Now, working with our network, Meals on Wheels America has a bigger, bolder plan to serve more seniors. Meals on Wheels America And Petsmart Charities® Grant Over $500,000 To 60+ Local Meals On Wheels Programs In 2022 To Support Access To Veterinary Care For Seniors’ Pets press@mealsonwheelsamerica.

org FUNDING WILL ASSIST LOCAL PROGRAMS’ EFFORTS TO MAKE VETERINARY CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR HOMEBOUND CLIENTS Arlington, VA – August 23, 2022 – Meals on Wheels America, the national leadership organization supporting community-based programs across the U.S. dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger, announced it has distributed $509,000 in grants to more than 60 local Meals on Wheels programs in 2022 to support expanded access to veterinary care for the pets of senior clients.

The funds distributed through the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant program – powered by PetSmart Charities®, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America – will be used to support programs’ abilities to provide older adults’ animal companions with improved and more accessible preventative, sick and emergency care.

Pets have been shown to serve as a source of valuable social connection for many older adults, positively impacting their physical and mental health and decreasing feelings of loneliness. While veterinary care is particularly essential to support pets’ health and longevity, it can often present challenges for older adults with limited mobility or financial constraints to manage on their own.

A 2021 study released by Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities identified the primary needs of homebound seniors and their pets and found that nearly one in two clients reported being unable to access preventative veterinary care in the past two years. 86% of the respondents said that cost was the biggest barrier to receiving such veterinary care, with transportation cited as a secondary barrier.

Such findings prompted the two organizations to design grants that could help address these challenges and make vet care more accessible. “We know that the human-animal bond is powerful for keeping older adults happier and healthier, and we want to do all we can to remove hurdles that might get in the way of seniors and their pets aging at home together,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America.

“Through the continued support from our trusted partner, PetSmart Charities, we’re able to help expand access to vital veterinary care for Meals on Wheels clients and ensure that older adults can more easily secure the exams, vaccinations, dental care and other critical services their animal companions need.

” “Veterinary Care access is a challenge for over 25 percent of pet households in the United States, disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups like seniors who rely on their pets the most,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President of PetSmart Charities. “Through the incredible partnership with Meals on Wheels America, we are able to ensure that thousands of seniors can continue living healthy, happy lives with their furry companions.

” In addition to the grants designed to improve and expand access to veterinary care, the Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant program will also distribute an additional $591,000 across two other grant types for a total of $1,100,000 to be awarded by the end of 2022.

Each of these grant opportunities is designed to bolster the development, growth and sustainability of local programs’ pet assistance services in underserved areas and/or increase scalability and expand access to care. For more information on Meals on Wheels America, please visit www. mealsonwheelsamerica.

org . For more information on PetSmart Charities and how grants are making an impact across North America, please visit www. petsmartcharities.

org . ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger.

This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity.

By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www. mealsonwheelsamerica.

org . ABOUT PETSMART CHARITIES® PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year.

PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief.

Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities. org, while shopping at PetSmart. com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart ® stores.

In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994.

Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www. petsmartcharities.

org . Follow PetSmart Charities on Instagram: @PetSmartCharities Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook. com/PetSmartCharities See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.

com/PetSmartCharitiesInc Join our mailing list for the latest updates Millions of seniors face hunger, isolation and other challenges that impact their health and well-being. Learn how Meals on Wheels helps address these growing issues. Learn more about the issues From meal delivery to research and advocacy, our work supports the health, connection and independence of seniors across the country.

See how Meals on Wheels changes lives through real stories, powerful outcomes and the national movement to support our senior neighbors. Our mission is to empower local community programs to improve the health and quality of life of the seniors they serve so that no one is left hungry or isolated. date.

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states. modal = 1; Supporting Healthy, Independent Aging Meals on Wheels America supports a nationwide network of local providers helping seniors remain healthy, connected and living at home. Support Senior Independence