Pictured are Wal Mart Vision Center and Community Outreach Jackie Childers, MOW client Sandra Atkins, and Walmart Manager Andrew Williams. Cherokee County Meals on Wheels has been awarded a $9,000 grant from the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) and the Walmart Foundation.

The funds will provide Meals on Wheels with much-needed Food Service bags – hot and cold gel packs that keep food and drinks hot or cold for extended periods of time. This is critical to continue serving nutritious meals and personal contact to seniors in area neighborhoods.

This financial help is desperately needed as many Meals On Wheels programs across the country are struggling to survive during this economic downturn. The “Walmart Foundation Impact Grant” is intended to help Cherokee County Meals on Wheels continue to meet the longterm equipment needs of providing meals to seniors in Cherokee County.

Last year, many Meals On Wheels programs were forced to change or reduce their services, but the Walmart Foundation stepped in to help restore those meals. This year, the Walmart Foundation is spending more than $2 million nationwide to make sure Meals On Wheels programs have the equipment they need to maintain their operations into the future.

“Thanks to the Walmart Foundation Impact Grant, we now have better tools to keep feeding seniors for years to come,” said Cherokee County Meals On Wheels Executive Director Terry Dennis. “This grant will help us provide the next meal to many of our clients in need and will truly make a difference for the seniors of Cherokee County. We also want to thank Cherokee Cogeneration for their donation of $3,000 that will also ensure a healthier future.”

“The Walmart Foundation has once again stepped up to the plate as a powerful partner in the fight to end senior hunger,” said Enid Borden, president and CEO of MOWAA. “They are our largest corporate partner to date and their support will make a tremendous impact in helping our programs sustain meal services well into the future. We can’t thank the Walmart Foundation enough for joining us in our national movement to end senior hunger in America by 2020.”