By Shoshana Fanizza
In our vibrant city of Boulder, known for its innovation and community spirit, an often-overlooked crisis persists: food insecurity among our most vulnerable residents.
At Meals on Wheels of Boulder, we witness daily the struggles of people who cannot shop for groceries or prepare their own meals due to age, illness or disability. These individuals, often invisible in our active community, rely on us for their most basic need: nutritious food.
According to Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap,” Boulder County has a food insecurity rate of 8.5%, affecting approximately 27,960 people. In part, this number represents our Boulder neighbors — seniors living alone, people with chronic illnesses and those recovering from surgery — who face the daily challenge of securing their next meal.
Meals on Wheels of Boulder operates without federal or state funding. Our services are sustained through the generosity of city and county funding, grants, individual and corporate donors and volunteers. However, with over 350 nonprofit organizations in the city of Boulder vying for limited resources, the competition for funding is intense.
Potential and implemented federal funding cuts will increase the strain on local nonprofits, including ours. On the potential chopping block are cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services — more specifically, the potential elimination of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a key source of funding for local Meals on Wheels programs in 37 states, and serious cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, which would increase food insecurity and hardship and steeply increase demand for Meals on Wheels services. The entire staff who oversaw SSBG have already been fired, according to reporting from The Guardian.
These cuts mean more people in need will be turning to organizations like Meals on Wheels of Boulder for help, putting additional pressure on an already stretched system.
In addition to fighting hunger, Meal on Wheels of Boulder also plays a vital role in combating social isolation. Many of our clients live alone and have limited mobility, making it difficult to maintain social connections. For some, our volunteer drivers are the only human contact they have in a day. A warm meal delivered with a smile and a few moments of conversation can make a profound difference in someone’s emotional wellbeing. We are not just delivering food. We deliver compassion, dignity and human connection.
As our president and CEO, Francea Phillips, always says, “I want everyone to be treated like they were my mother and father, with the kindness they deserve and the right to choose.”
Meals on Wheels of Boulder has over 10 different diets we cater to, many in the medically tailored meals category. Medically tailored meals are nutritionally customized meals for individuals with specific chronic health conditions, created with a registered dietitian and tailored to the recipient’s medical needs, often in line with specific dietary recommendations for conditions like diabetes, heart disease or renal failure.
We serve people of all ages and incomes, and many of the individuals we assist are often those who have contributed to our community throughout their lives. Now, they find themselves in need, not due to any fault of their own, but because of circumstances beyond their control. They deserve dignity, respect and the assurance that they will not go hungry.
How you can help
Our mission is sustained by the generosity and commitment of people like you. There are several ways you can support Meals on Wheels of Boulder:
• Volunteer. Join our team to deliver meals and provide a friendly face for those in need.
• Donate. Financial contributions help us purchase food, support meal preparation, subsidize the cost of meals and more.
• Spread the word. Raise awareness about food insecurity in Boulder and the work Meals on Wheels of Boulder does to combat it.
Every action, no matter how small, makes a significant difference in the lives of our clients. Together, we can ensure no one in our community is forgotten and always has the resources for hot, nutritious meals.
Find out more about how you can get involved with Meals on Wheels of Boulder at mowboulder.org. Donate and sign up to volunteer today.
Shoshana Fanizza is the development and marketing director of Meals on Wheels of Boulder. She is dedicated to raising awareness and securing funding to support the organization’s mission of delivering hot, nutritious meals with wellbeing check-ins for Boulder neighbors in need.