What it's like to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, a group that feeds seniors and would shutter under Trump's budget

I still have vivid memories of those Thursdays when I was 6 and I'd hop into the backseat of my grandparents' Buick, destined for the Salvation Army in Camden, New Jersey.We were there to pick up hot meals packed in aluminum trays, which we'd in turn stuff into big, insulated bags and hand-deliver to hungry seniors in the area.That was just a small fraction of the people served by Meals on Wheels, a group that currently feeds 2 million people each year. But it was obviously important to those whose doorbells we rang. Many of them lived alone, and most said we were the only people they saw that day.If the new federal budget proposed by President Trump gets approved, the budget cuts could threaten Meals on Wheels' very existence by draining its funding. People who rely on the program for companionship and nutrition would be forced to find other options.Here's what Meals on Wheels ' a program founded on the gift of sustenance ' is all about.SEE ALSO:'We can't spend money on programs just because they sound good': Trump budget would slash funding from program that feeds 2 million seniorsBorrowing from a similar model in the UK, Meals on Wheels America started in 1974 under a basic assumption: People may prefer independence, but not everyone has the means to cook for themselves ' so feed them.Source: Meals on WheelsToday, the program has ballooned to include more than 5,000 groups supporting senior nutrition. Research has found a number of benefits from the program, including better diets, nutrient intake, socialization, and overall quality of life.Source: The Washington PostThe program itself is fairly straightforward. Local community organizations prepare hot food or package frozen meals that volunteers pick up for delivery. That food then ends up in the hands of seniors who need it.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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