Comfort Keepers leading effort to feed hungry seniors

BELPRE -- A startling number of American seniors risk going hungry each month due to the inability to obtain sufficient nutritious food or having to choose between food and medicine and/or medical care.

Hunger, affecting 1 in 15 seniors, takes a severe toll on their health and nutrition putting them at risk for chronic health conditions like depression, asthma, and diabetes.

During the months of November and December, Comfort Keepers of the Mid-Ohio Valley is asking the community to make food donations to their 15th Annual Feed Seniors Now Food Drive. This drive will help feed local seniors and will raise awareness for this growing epidemic that impacts millions of older Americans.

"Although we cannot fight every factor affecting hunger, we can make a difference right here in our community by creating awareness about the issue, collecting donations, and educating families about the signs of hunger and/or malnutrition in their senior loved ones," said Joanie Yeomans, COO/Co-owner of Comfort Keepers of the Mid-Ohio Valley. "Comfort Keepers believes that everyone deserves to live their lives with joy and that starts with having basic needs (like hunger) met.'

For the last 15 years, the generous people of the Mid-Ohio Valley have always come through with love for their elders, said David Yeomans, CEO/Co-Owner of Comfort Keepers.

"We get this food directly to those seniors that need it as soon as possible working through our distribution network partners FaithLink/Thrive network in Wood County as well as the Washington County Harvest of Hope,'' he said.

Local groups who help the senior population are seeing a large increase in food insecurity in the senior community, said Julie Taberner, FaithLink Director.

"We're appreciative of the food collected by our Feed Seniors Now food drive partners," she said. "The MOV is truly a wonderful place to live."

For more information on the Feed Seniors Now food drive, please contact Comfort Keepers office at 740-373-7125.

HOW TO DONATE

* Order foods online and have them shipped to Comfort Keepers at 400 Main St., Belpre, OH 45714. They ask that people include gift tag, so they can thank them for the donations.

* Send a check to Comfort Keepers at 400 Main St., Belpre, OH 45714. Please note "Feed Seniors Now" on the memo line.

* Drop off food or monetary donations to Comfort Keepers at 400 Main St., Belpre.

* Contribute to the Venmo @Feed-Seniors-Now

* Drop food in collection bins at the following locations:

* Belpre Dental Studio, 218 Maple St., Belpre

* First Mutual Bank, 3850 Emerson Ave., Parkersburg

* First Presbyterian Church, 1341 Juliana St., Parkersburg

* The Parkersburg News & Sentinel, 519 Juliana St., Parkersburg

* Professional Radiator & Tire, 1910 12th Ave., Parkersburg

* St. Mary School, 320 Marion St., Marietta

* Madison Elementary School, 1426 32nd St., Parkersburg

* YMCA, 1800 30th St., Parkersburg

REQUESTED FOODS

* Canned proteins such as tuna, beef stew, chili, chicken, pink salmon

* Low sodium soups, cream soups

* Smooth peanut butter

* Canned vegetables (low sodium), fruits (light syrup), applesauce

* Shelf-stable milk

* Unsweetened juices - apple, grape, tomato, orange, cran-apple

* Cereals such as Corn Flakes, Bran Flakes, Shredded Wheat