Did you know that each May the nation celebrates Older Americans Month?  In 1963, President Kennedy designated May as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute to older people across the country.  In 1980, President Carter changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.  This year, May is dedicated to providing them with information to help them stay healthy and active.  Unfortunately, 8.8 million seniors faced the threat of hunger in 2011*.  That’s 1 in 6 seniors nationwide!

Mobile Cuisine has partnered up with the GiveNetwork and Give.mobi to unite the food truck community in Fighting Hunger in America.  This initiative supports two good organizations; Convoy Of Hope (ConvoyOfHope.org) and Meals On Wheels Association of America (MoWAA.org), by uniting the food truck community and consciously engaging their customers in making donations.  Food trucks participate by displaying unique QR “portals” allowing customers to use their smartphones to easily make a donation.  We love how this initiative marries food trucks and mobile technology to facilitate Fighting Hunger in America.

The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest national organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 U.S. states, as well as the U.S. Territories.  There are over 5,000 local Senior Nutrition Programs in the United States. These programs provide well over one million meals to seniors who need them each day. Some programs serve meals at congregate locations like senior centers, some programs deliver meals directly to the homes of seniors whose mobility is limited, and many programs provide both services.

An impressive number of meals are delivered, but couldn’t be done without their army of employees and over two million full- and part-time volunteers who work for these programs.  Over 85% of the elder recipients say Meals On Wheels helps improve their health, 90% claim they feel more secure and 92% say Meal On Wheels means they can continue to live in their own homes**.  There is great success in their programs and we want to make sure it continues.

Mobile Cuisine is encouraging all food trucks to help in Fighting Hunger in America.  The registration process is easy.  Every food truck that registers by May 31 will be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gas gift card.

Mobile Cuisine is proud to be partnered in this initiative and will highlight program milestones.  We will continue to encourage food truck registrations and customer donations to help further the good work of Convoy of Hope and Meals On Wheels Association of America.

*Source: Gunderson, Craig and Ziliak, James. “The State of Senior Hunger in America 2011: An Annual Report.” National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, September, 2013. The full report is available  here .

**According to the 2011 National Survey of Older Americans Act Program Participants conducted for the U.S. Administration on Aging