In Jefferson County, Meals on Wheels and its network of more than 500 volunteers deliver 796 meals daily.Reaching people where they live is one of the guiding tenets of UAB’s Benevolent Fund and the non-profit organizations that employee donations support.
An excellent example is Meals on Wheels, a newcomer to the list of nonprofit organizations supported through the Benevolent Fund and its campaign to raise $2 million to support the community where employees live, work and play.
Jefferson County reportedly has approximately 130,000 seniors who struggle with hunger, and Meals on Wheels and its network of more than 500 volunteers deliver 796 meals daily.
“Home-delivered nutritious meals and vital check-ins enable seniors to live independently in their homes for a longer period,” said Benevolent Fund Manager Lisa Higginbotham, who credits this public-private partnership with promoting health and improving quality of life for vulnerable seniors. “Frequently, the volunteer is the only regular face-to-face contact seniors have, and it’s critical to assessing well-being.”
During the campaign you can select Meals on Wheels or review all available charitable-giving options and update or begin a pledge at uab.edu/benevolentfundpledge. The campaign for the academic campus is active through March 15; the campaign within UAB Medicine will be conducted April 1-30.
| During the campaign you can select Meals on Wheels or review all available charitable-giving options and update or begin a pledge at uab.edu/benevolentfundpledge. |
The UAB Benevolent Fund is an employee-led philanthropy and service organization that partners with local nonprofits to improve the areas in which we live, work and play. Its donors and volunteers are able to promote home ownership through the annual Habitat House build, offer nutritious foods through Blazer Kitchen, provide emergency financial assistance for employees and extend grants to agencies that offer vital services in our community.
Time is another gift you can give in lieu of or in addition to donations.
“Sadly, there are nearly 2,000 seniors on a waiting list for Meals on Wheels home delivery,” Higginbotham said. “UAB would like to explore developing a team of volunteers to adopt a small route that could be delivered during a lunch break. Volunteers would rotate turns driving the route on scheduled days once every week or two.”
To volunteer for Meals on Wheels, email benevolentfund@uab.edu.