The Cynthia Woods and George Mitchell Foundation funded an undisclosed grant amount to Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels to provide meals to seniors in Fort Bend County.
“The Board of Directors, staff and volunteers for Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels are very honored to have received these much needed funds from the Cynthia Woods and George Mitchell Foundation, to help our organization continue its mission in caring for the seniors in our communities,” said Manuela H. Arroyos, chief executive officer, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.
Cynthia Woods and George Mitchell are familiar names in Fort Bend County, due to the Cynthia Woods Pavilion in the Woodlands and Mitchell Energy & Development Corporation, local real estate developers and one of the nation’s largest independent natural gas and liquid hydro-carbons producers. Its largest real estate development project is The Woodlands.
“The baby boomers make up one-third of the population and the first wave of this large cohort will begin turning 65 in 2011,” said Arroyos. “Due to this large group, Fort Bend Seniors is forecasting the needs in the community to begin doubling and tripling in the next one to twenty years. However, our organization provides services to those 60+ and since January 2010, we have been receiving over 30+ calls a week from seniors in need of meals and services, which is where the Mitchell Foundation funds are a true blessing.”
According to Commissioner Todd Staples in Austin, for every senior citizen served by the Meals on Wheels program, taxpayers are saving $30,000 a year per senior served, which means the Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels program is saving Texas taxpayers over $30 million a year, and again, that number is forecasted to double and triple as the baby boomers continue to move into retirement.
“Again, we are very thankful for the Mitchell Foundation funds, which will go along way in providing meals for our seniors. Thank you,” Arroyos said.
For more information on Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, volunteering to deliver meals to seniors or to donate,visit www.fortbendseniors.org or call 281-633-7052, or e-mail kweiss@fortbendseniors.org.
Wednesday 22 February 2012
