Media Brief
Meals on Wheels
of Central MD
Media Contact:
Guy Arceneaux
Director of Marketing
and Communications
443 000-0000 w
443 000-0000 c
443 000.0000 f
Prepared for:
WTTR AM 1470
contact info:
--Gen. Mgr.
Westminster
000 000-0000
Baltimore
410 000-0000
Fax: 410 000-0000
wttr.com
Contact at WTTR:
Mary:
Talking Points:
Meals on Wheels in Carroll County
How long has Meals on Wheels been in
operation in Carroll County?
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland opened its first kitchen in
Carroll County in 1973.
How many people are served annually?
Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland is now one of the oldest
nonprofit, home-delivered meal programs in the country, serving
more than 700,000 meals annually.
Where in MD does Meals on Wheels serve?
Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County,
Frederick County, Harford County, Howard and Montgomery
County.
Are the meals delivered by volunteers?
Yes, we have dedicated volunteers who deliver
meals, volunteers have flexibility in their commitment—
some deliver three days a week, some once a week.
What is a typical delivery route like?
A typical route driven by a volunteer in Carroll County involves 8–
12 deliveries and the entire route is covered within an hour.
Describe the meals, I’m curious about special diets.
Balanced meals that provide two-thirds of the daily allowance
(RDA) of nutrients are offered each day. All meals are low in
sodium, fat and concentrated sugar and are calorie controlled.
A variety of meals, including kosher, are available.
Tell us about how Meals on Wheels impacts clients
95% of our clients are able to remain living independently at home
95% of our clients are satisfied with our programs and services
91% of our clients have reported improved nutrition
90% of our clients report improved quality of life
75% of our clients report decreased isolation
How would I help a family member begin to receive meals
through Meals on Wheels?
Simply call 410-558-0932 (option 7), or go online at
www.mealsonwheelsmd.org and under the Services heading on
the home page choose The Home Delivered Meal Program.
Click on Apply Today and an online application will come up.
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Media Brief
Wellness Check: Last year, the Carroll County Meals on
Wheels program was switched to 3-days a week.
The Wellness Check phone call was started for those days
when no deliveries were made—it gives our team an
assurance that the client is doing well.
For 18% of our clients, meals deliveries by MOW
volunteers is the only regular outside contact they have—
we also provide assistance with other aid programs that
can improve their quality of life, such as
food stamps, heating bill assistance, voting etc.
Pet Needs: One of our volunteers noticed that a client
was giving part of their meal to their dog, because she had
no dog food. This need turned into a program that serves
80-90 people’s pets by delivering Kibble in a separate
delivery than the client’s meal deliveries.
Partnership Packing of the Kibble is done by a partner
organization that employs deaf and blind individuals
providing employment opportunities.
Grocery Shopping Program It stands to reason that
many of our clients are not able to get out to shop for
themselves, not only do they have other food needs which
meal deliveries alone don’t supply, but the everyday
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Media Brief
necessities such as, shampoo, toilet paper, paper towels,
light bulbs, etc. must be gotten.
All of these things are often found on the lists our volunteer
shoppers fulfill for our clients. They also will make a stop
for the client to the local food bank and put the groceries
away for them.
Our case managers are an important link in assessing
client’s needs. They may offer additional services such as
having a nutritionist visit the client and develop nutritional
goals—to alleviate high blood pressure, or combat high
cholesterol counts.
In Carroll County we are required to offer nutritional
information 12 times a year. Good nutrition is important to
stay in good health and to recuperate from any ongoing
health issues.
Case managers are responsible for more than a thousand
referrals a year for specific needs after their assessment.
Library Link This is a program that connects our clients to
the resources of the public library, books, books on tape,
CDs and DVDs. We prove every day that Meals on
Wheels of Central Maryland is more than a meal!
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