Dine out on October 13 to support Peninsula Volunteers’ Meals on Wheels program

On Tuesday, October 13th, participating restaurants in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties will donate a percentage of the day’s meal sales to support Peninsula Volunteers, Inc.’s (PVI) Meals on Wheels program that feeds local homebound seniors.

“When you are hungry, nothing else matters,” said Marilyn Baker-Venturini, Meals on Wheels Director for PVI. “More than 15,000 seniors in San Mateo County are threatened by hunger every day. We are hoping that residents throughout the county will support our program by participating in this charitable, but crucial effort.”

PVI Meals on Wheels program serves cities within San Mateo County, preparing and delivering more than 130,000 hot nutritious meals per year to those in need.

In addition to the meal, seniors receive a daily safety-wellness check and a smile from the MOW driver, which is either a staff or volunteer. The Meals on Wheels driver is often the only human contact the homebound senior has during the whole day.

“The Meals on Wheels program is so important because 67% of meal recipients live alone and 100% suffer from illness, incapacity and other conditions affecting their independence,” added Jayne Williams, the PV Chair for the Dine Out fundraiser.

Meals on Wheels services fill in when homebound older adults have no other alternative. When in-home care is delayed, stopped, or unaffordable, when transportation to shop for food supplies is eliminated, when helpful neighbors or family move away, when hospitals discharge patients who need sudden assistance, Meals on Wheels provides an essential life-line.

“The county funding for Meals on Wheels only covers a portion of the cost of the food and delivery service, so we seriously rely on the community to donate and participate in our fund raisers to help us with our funding gap”, said Karae Lisle, CEO of PVI.

Participating restaurants in Menlo Park include: Amici’s, Bradley’s Fine Diner, Carpaccio, Cafe Zoe, Celia’s, El Cerrito, Luttickens After 5, Menlo Grill, Piccolo, and Trellis.

Photo taken by Irene Searles in 2013 picturing then Mayor Peter Ohtaki and PV member Jayne Williams making Meals on Wheels delivery as part of Mayors for Meals day