“For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute.  We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older,” said President Ronald Reagan as he signed his Presidential Proclamation officially declaring August 21 National Senior Citizens Day.

Do you have any seniors in your daily lives?  Your parents, grandparents, neighbors, customers?  What do you really know about their lives?  On a personal note, I knew my grandfather worked for one of the Big 3 auto companies in Detroit.  What I didn’t know was that he was a part of the sit-down strikes to unionize the factories.  I learned this one random night and regret not learning more.  The twinkle in his eyes and the excitement in his voice were palpable.  Before that, he was my grandpa.  After that night, he was a man that was a part of history, a designer, a builder and had this whole life outside of the family.

National Senior Citizens Day is supposed to remind us to spend time with senior citizens, show our appreciation, and do volunteer work in support of the elderly.

Mobile Cuisine has partnered with the GiveNetwork to promote the Fighting Hunger In America Food Truck Initiative.  Food trucks register in the Initiative and encourage their customers to scan the unique QR code where their tax-exempt donation goes to Convoy of Hope and Meals On Wheels.  There’s a bit more to it, but not much.

Today, this Initiative is even more relevant.  The mission of Meals On Wheels is elderly care and nutrition.  1 in 6 Americans over the age of 60 face the threat of hunger.  That’s 9.3 million people!  2.5 million seniors receive home-delivered or congregate meals via Meals On Wheels programs.  That’s incredible, but doing the math, nearly 7 million seniors are still in need of nutrition.

On this day especially, we encourage all food trucks to register to Fight Hunger In America.  For all those that register by the end of this month, you’ll be entered to win a $500 gas card.

Don’t forget to celebrate today – with a friend, a parent, a grandparent, a neighbor or a customer.  Remember, there are many out there that need a little bit extra and food trucks and your customers can make a difference!