Neighbors Helping Neighbors to alleviate hunger, isolation and loneliness in our communities, and to foster the independence, worth and dignity of each individual they serve.
For 21 years, the City of Southlake and Metroport Meals on Wheels have joined forces to support area seniors by providing hot lunches and a friendly face to those in need.
Now, with many senior-related resources closed due to COVID-19 concerns, MMOW needs our help.
How You Can Help
Currently, in addition to their ongoing home delivery mail program, MMOW is providing a Weekly Curbside Meal program on Mondays at the Southlake Senior Activity Center. There is a $4 charge for meals, but MMOW never turns away a person in need because of an inability to pay.
“We are serving about 100 seniors each week in Southlake with this program,” Southlake Senior Services Coordinator Soheila Phelps said.
To keep going, MMOW needs monetary donations and items on their ongoing Amazon Wish List, which are critical to their operation. MMOW also needs volunteers to help prepare and distribute meals. You can learn more about volunteering for MMOW on their website.
Double Your Donation
The Carl C. Anderson Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation has provided a $20,000 Challenge Grant to assist with MMOW’s home-delivered meals that are urgently needed. Every dollar you give now will be DOUBLED (up to $20,000 total), providing TWICE as many lifesaving meals for the hungry seniors and medically fragile neighbors we serve together. Thank you for your support! Click here to DOUBLE YOUR DONATION.
If you decide to make a financial contribution, please make sure to list Southlake Cares in the “How did you hear about us?” section. If you need more information about donating, visit Metroportmow.org or call MMOW at 817-491-8534.
Southlake Cares
Metroport Meals on Wheels is one of the organizations involved in the Southlake Six-Month Challenge. Visit the Southlake Cares webpage to see where you might fill a need and then click on the button that says “Learn More.” On that page, there are links to take you to our partners’ websites. From there, you can choose how you want to make a difference. If you do decide to give, please be sure to indicate Southlake Cares as your honoree.
From now until December, we will feature each one of our partners and tell you how they are helping the city. We will also track the Challenge’s progress to let you know how things are going and if our organizations are encountering a specific need.
We need your help to show we’re Southlake Strong and that Southlake Cares. Thanks for caring!
We need you, Southlake! A challenge is at hand, and we need your help to conquer need in our community. The Southlake Cares Six-Month Challenge will raise awareness of these particular organizations’ needs and ask for specific aid to meet them.
Economic Stress Creates High Demand for Assistance
It’s a difficult time in our nation and our communities. Families desperately need the essentials of food, medicine, shelter, and more in our area, and local service organizations have a growing need of support from the community for money, in-kind donations, and volunteers. In some instances, the demands have tripled, while revenue sources have declined. The City of Southlake has a history of partnership with these six service organizations and relies on them to help provide services to the community in meaningful ways.
How to Help
Visit the Southlake Cares website and learn more about these organizations. See where you might fill a need and then click on the button that says Learn More. On that page, there are links to take you to our partners websites. From there, you can choose how you want to make a difference. If you do decide to give, please be sure to indicate Southlake Cares as your honoree.
Over the next six months, we will feature each one of our partners and tell you how they are helping the City. We will also track the challenge’s progress to let you know how things are going and if our organizations are encountering a specific need.
We need your help to show we’re Southlake Strong and that Southlake Cares. Won’t you join us?
On Monday, June 1, the Southlake Senior Activity Center kicked off the first Metroport Meals on Wheels curbside pick-up. Meals on Wheels volunteers and Senior Center staff welcomed nearly 70 seniors with signs, smiles, and air hugs as they drove through the Legends Hall parking lot to pick up their first hot meal in more than 12 weeks.
Recognizing the continual need to provide warm ready-to-go meals for the seniors in our community, the City adapted the original Monday social luncheon program to become a curbside pick-up. In this challenging time, the adapted program aims to not only provide meals but also provide the much-needed sense of community Senior Center members are used to.
“Not only will this program brighten the day of our seniors, but it will also bring back a sense of normalcy to their lives,” said Senior Services Coordinator Soheila Phelps. “With many local senior centers closed through the Summer due to COVID-19, seniors are feeling more isolated than usual. We hope the pre-packaged grab and go lunches would address the challenges of isolation and the importance of nutritious hot meal for the older adults.”
The Southlake Senior Activity Center has provided weekly lunches in partnership with Metroport Meals on Wheels since 1999. In 2019 alone, the City provided more than 5,700 meals to adults aged 55 and better. Each week seniors enjoy local favorite restaurants like FeedStore BBQ, Asian Top, Chuys, Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, and more. Each of these restaurants works graciously to ensure a balanced meal is provided at a very discounted rate and has the meal ready to go each Monday to be promptly delivered to the Southlake Seniors.
“We are grateful for all the local restaurants willing to work with partner Metroport Meals on Wheels to provide cost affordable meals to help subsidize the non-profits budgetary needs,” said Phelps.
The City of Southlake has recognized that weekly congregate lunch program can help fight social isolation, ensure a nutritional meal, and improve overall health and well-being of older adults. This program gives seniors the chance to socialize over food in a group setting allowing them to see friends more often and hopefully make new ones in the process. While the curbside program may look a little different this Summer, we are hopeful that one day a week can provide an opportunity for our seniors to enjoy the little things once more.
The Senior Activity Center has continued to make more than 50 wellness check phone calls each week to ensure our Senior members have someone to talk with and offer any assistance or resource to our most vulnerable population at this time. Through those conversations, masks have been hand-delivered to seniors in need through local non-profit groups, grocery delivery resources have been provided, and daily conversations and jokes have been shared.
To learn more about the Southlake Activity Center, visit their website at www.SouthlakeSeniorCenter.com.
