CORSICANA, Texas — Each day around lunch time, Corsicana resident Carl waits outside for his Meals on Wheels delivery. This has been his daily routine for two years since he lost his wife.
"We were together almost 60 years," he said. "When you lose someone like that, she knew what I liked to eat and what I didn't. But Meals on Wheels has been good."
Carl told 25 News he likes the food and credits it for his balanced diet these last few years.
"I would probably not eat the vegetables I eat now if y'all didn't bring them to me," he said.
Carl is just one of the more than 1,600 seniors Meals on Wheels North Central Texas has served so far in 2023.
The demand for their services continues to grow each year, which has been getting expensive for the non-profit.
"With the inflation of the economy, prices are going up and a lot of times, people can't increase their donations because they are under as much stress as we are but the need is still there and increasing as well," Communications and Marketing Manager Haley Seale said.
They've now joined the nationwide #SaveLunch campaign and are encouraging their community members to write to Congress asking for more funding towards senior nutrition programs.
"We are doing it on paper plates," Seale said.
"We actually delivered a pretty good stack of about 75 yesterday to Rep. Jake Ellzey."
Community members are encouraged to write to their state representatives and share stories of how Meals on Wheels has benefitted their family.
"It was really a heart touching moment to see this many people step up and say 'Congress, hear our voices, we need your support, and our senior neighbors need your support now,'" Seale said.
With the increase in demand, they also have an increase in need for volunteers. Seale says she hopes the campaign will also encourage more people to get involved.
"We definitely want to encourage not only Congress but also our communities at large to support Meals on Wheels in any way they can whether it be through donations or volunteering because without that we don't operate," she said.
The more support they get, the more people like Carl they can help each day.
"I wish everybody could get what I get from y'all. It would really be good," he said.
For more information on how you can visit the #SaveLunch campaign, you can visit their website.
