Meals on Wheels is $44K short
Star-Bulletin staff
The Lanakila Meals on Wheels needs $44,000 to continue delivering hot meals to 727 senior citizens until the end of the fiscal year in June.
Without the $44,000, the home delivery program will have to begin cutting some 39 seniors beginning this month, according to Marlena Willette, Lanakila marketing director.
Lanakila announced a $350,000 shortfall in its $1.7 million budget this summer, but has raised $306,000 (or 85 percent of the goal) so far thanks to contributions from individuals and businesses in the community, Willette said.
Lanakila is also hoping to raise an additional $13,000 to feed seniors at their group dining rooms and homebound seniors in honor of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, she added.
The average age of meal recipients is 83, and average income is less than $1,000 per month, according to Lanakila.
It costs $34 to feed a senior for a week, $141 to feed a senior for a month, and $1,677 to feed a senior for a year. Credit or debit card pledges to the meals program fundraiser, Adopt-A-Senior, are now being accepted on a secured Web site at www. lanakilahawaii.org or by calling 531-0555.
All donations may also be mailed to Lanakila, Adopt-A-Senior Program, 1809 Bachelot St., Honolulu, HI 96817.
