AUBURN, ME – On August 3, 100+Women Who Care Androscoggin held their quarterly fundraising meeting at Central Maine Community College in Auburn. At that meeting, the membership voted to support Meals on Wheels with their donations. The donation, totaling $8100, was delivered to Meals on Wheels on Sept. 9.

The SeniorsPlus’ Meals on Wheels (MOW) program serves homebound individuals over the age of 60 and those with disabilities that reside in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. MOW is designed to help older adults age in place in the comfort of their home. The program is needs based rather than means tested and uses a weighted scale to serve those most in need – the most vulnerable – first. Nutrition is a basic building block for health maintenance and illness recovery. Registered Dietician-approved meals provide 1/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Provision of meals enables older adults to remain in the comfort of their own home rather than be cared for in a long-term care facility, ultimately reducing tax-payer burden.

MOW is a three-pronged approach: a nutritious meal, safety check, and social interaction. Delivery drivers provide a brief social visit, are trained to identify safety risks and observe wellness changes. Most clients live alone, are socially isolated, and often have no one regularly checking on them – factors that increase the risk of disease, depression, and mortality. Our program helps reduce these risks.

Last year, SeniorsPlus provided 146,483 home delivered meals to 868 unduplicated clients. 596 of those individuals were residents of Androscoggin County who received a total of 87,515 meals.

100+ Women Who Care Androscoggin is a collaboration of local women who invest in the community by pooling their donations for the greatest impact. They meet four times a year. Members can nominate organizations or projects that are working to address community needs. At each meeting they hear from 3 of the nominated organizations and then vote for one group to receive their donation. The members then write a check to that organization. To date, 100+ Women Who Care Androscoggin has raised and donated $76,610. With a matching grant, the community impact is $96,015.

100+ Women Who Care Androscoggin currently has more than 160 members and welcomes others to join to enlarge their community impact. For more information or to join, email 100womenwhocareandroscoggin@gmail.com.

100+ Women Who Care present a check to Meals on Wheels. Pictured, l to r, are Carol Goyette, Eric Robenstine and Janis Walker from Meals on Wheels, and Marty McIntyre, Founder of 100+ Women Who Care Androscoggin.