Rosemary* loves her visits with Johnny. Her laughter fills up her kitchen as he shares a joke from an old television show he has recently watched. The two buddies talk as if they have known each other half a lifetime… about family, the weather and food. That last one is the reason Johnny stops by Rosemary’s home and the homes of several others each week. Johnny is a CareLink Meals on Wheels volunteer.

Rosemary represents one of 40,000 seniors statewide who rely on people like Johnny to deliver them food. Arkansas has the highest rates of senior hunger and food insecurity in the country. It’s a top spot no state wants to claim. And as our population ages, the problem of senior hunger is expected to worsen.

There are retired police chiefs, teachers and homemakers who receive CareLink’s daily deliveries. And just as it is for Rosemary, the visits provide more than a meal for the seniors. Johnny Rhodes has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer since 2009. He uses his drop-offs as an opportunity to check on the seniors’ wellbeing. “Some of them don’t see anyone else for days. We go beyond just dropping off the food. We talk to them, take out their trash…”

Rhodes says he has even found himself monitoring some of the perishable foods in his seniors’ kitchens to make sure they aren’t holding onto items that should be tossed in the garbage. He recounts the story of one older adult who was worried about not having enough milk, so she had begun stockpiling the cartons she received during her deliveries. “She was so concerned about where her next meal was coming from that she was keeping milk that was going bad.”

Every day, CareLink prepares hot lunch meals for seniors throughout central Arkansas. Twice a month on Saturdays, volunteers deliver what’s known as “shelf stable” food; those items that require neither refrigeration nor cooking. In 2014, CareLink prepared nearly 300,000 meals in its North Little Rock kitchen and helped supply another 180,000 for preparation in senior centers around the region.

Michelle Gilbert, CareLink Development Assistant, says seniors have multiple barriers to accessing food, such as lack of transportation, lack of quality food options and reduced mobility. “And we deliver meals to seniors who don’t have the money to buy their own groceries,” Gilbert says. “The problem is so vast. Seniors are living on very limited incomes. We are providing a critical lifeline.”

In fact, financial hardship is the most common cause of food insecurity. A report by the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Aging and Adult Services recorded a nearly seven percent increase in requests for food assistance in 2014 over the previous year. The report predicts the need will grow exponentially as more baby boomers age. While the demand is increasing, federal funding is decreasing. Senior centers have seen a drop in federal subsidies which support meal programs. Older adults themselves have also seen their federal food assistance benefits reduced. These realities are compounded when you factor in ever rising food costs.

For organizations like CareLink, government grants, while important to the vitality of the Meals on Wheels program, don’t meet the ever-growing need for hot meals. Their program is need-based with no income restrictions. And it relies heavily on generous donations to keep their volunteers rolling. To learn more about how you can volunteer or donate, or to find a Meals on Wheels program near you, visit MealsOnWheelsAmerica.org.

*Rosemary is a fictional character that represents the many seniors receiving Carelink services.

Cupcakes for a Cause

On Sunday, October 11 from 2-4 p.m., CareLink will host the “Cupcakes for Goodness Sake” event in its 15,000 square-foot Community Kitchen. Local bakeries including Sweet Love, Cupcakes on Kavanaugh, Dempsey Bakery and Blue Cake Company have accepted the challenge to present cupcake versions of meals on wheels. They’ll also feature demonstrations and delicious samplings, of course. The Diamond Bear Brewing Company and Yarnell’s Ice Cream will provide beer floats. Guests will also enjoy champagne and a silent auction, and a Meals on Wheels volunteer will be honored for their dedicated service. Ticket prices for Cupcakes for Goodness Sake are $20 for adults and $10 for children over 4 years old. For more info, call 688-7469 or visit CareLink.org.

Become A Volunteer

Meals on Wheels volunteers spend an hour a week delivering hot, nutritious meals to 10-15 of their senior neighbors. Groups can sign up together, too, and work as a team. Learn more by calling 372-5300 or visiting CareLink.org.