Rockwall, Texas – Meals on Wheels Senior Services (MOWSS) of Rockwall County recently reached a major turning point in their effort to assist homebound seniors and disabled individuals. The non-profit organization, which has been a cornerstone of community support for 46 years, announced receiving a substantial $1.29 million grant from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation. Their fundraising efforts, which aim at building a new senior life center in Rockwall, intended to be a community hub for elderly people, depend critically on this money.
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Several months ago, Meals on Wheels Senior Services started the fundraising campaign for this ambitious project; MOWSS needed at least $1 million to be eligible for the challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation. MOWSS satisfied this need through community donations and fundraising campaigns, therefore releasing the extra help from the foundation.
“The idea of having the center is for it to be a hub for seniors in the area and their families,” explained a Meals on Wheels staff member as reported by Royse City Herald Banner.
Apart from giving a venue for dining and socializing, this facility will increase the capacity to serve and improve the quality of life for the seniors.
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Beyond just food delivery, the intended senior life center will provide a range of services. These include teaching materials for caregivers, campaigning for resident rights in long-term care institutions, and emergency food delivery with stable shelf-life under unfavorable circumstances such bad weather or power outages. The center will also host the “Building Better Caregivers” webinar series, which runs from July 25 through August 15.
MOWSS offers an array of volunteer activities, including Allan’s Companions, where volunteers visit seniors monthly to help to lessen feelings of isolation. Working with Rockwall County’s Friends of the Library, the Magic of Reading program gives seniors two books every month to promote enjoyment and involvement via reading.
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Senior gathering and food sharing has been made possible in great part by already existing community facilities in Royse City and temporarily at Fate City Hall. The new facility will expand these services and create a permanent, designed area for events and socializing.
This success reflects the great community spirit and dedication to assist the elderly population. During the Royse City Tri-County Chamber of Commerce luncheon on November 19, Margie Verhagen, Executive Director of MOWSS, is expected to talk further on the fundraising drive, building of the new senior life facility, and other developments.
With this development, Meals on Wheels in Rockwall County opens a new chapter promising improved services and a dedicated area for the elderly in the community to enjoy a better quality of life through increased social and supportive services.
