Montgomery Healthcare Company Helps Hundreds of Needy Seniors
More than 25 million Americans age 60 or older struggle with their finances, according to the National Council on Aging. These seniors are challenged by rising housing and health care bills, inadequate nutrition, and diminished savings. This month, local businesses united to help nearly 300 needy seniors in the River Region have a brighter year.
The Compliance Store and other businesses worked with the Montgomery Area Council On Aging (MACOA) to help provide 280 seniors in need with a special holiday bag filled with food and personal care items. The Compliance Store contributed personal care items and all the employees contributed their time to packing the bags that were delivered today to these deserving seniors.
“We are proud to be able to lend our efforts to improving the lives of seniors and building a relationship with a fellow advocate for the aging,” said Joshua Stuedeman, general manager of The Compliance Store.
For more than 17 years, MACOA and its volunteers have worked to collect items and pack and deliver the bags for the neediest seniors on their Montgomery Meals on Wheels routes. Donna Marietta, the council’s executive director, said that the project is an important part of giving some extra support and care to people in need.
“It’s a visit from someone with a bag filled with all sorts of food and clothing items,” she said. “But, it’s really to say, ‘We’re thinking about you during the holidays and we want you to know that you’re not forgotten.’”
In addition to helping spread holiday cheer, volunteers are a vital part of making the MACOA project possible for Marietta. She estimates that each bag is filled with about $70 worth of food, clothing, and hygiene items, meaning more than $19,600 goes into providing bags for 280 local seniors.
“This is the type of project we could not do without the volunteers,” Marietta said. “If we didn’t have these organizations helping, this project wouldn’t occur because it’s a very costly item when you think about it.”
