Local Agency on Aging has a feel good news item

Guaranteed to make you smile!

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the news these days. So, we’d like to share an uplifting story.

We often take for granted a hot meal at home but for thousands of food-insecure households in Virginia it’s daily life. How can you possibly work or learn effectively when your stomach is hungry? Our communities often turn to meal delivery programs when there is nowhere else to go.

During normal times, the Local Office on Aging supports more than 3,000 families and individuals in the Valley. But these are far from normal times.

Recognizing that COVID-19 has had a profound impact on our communities and the nonprofits that support our most vulnerable, Cox stepped in with a surprise. During a video call disguised as a meeting to discuss potential partnerships, Local Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program was surprised with a $10,000 donation.

“We were shocked and thrilled to get this support,” said President and CEO Ron Boyd.  “Our staff were immediately able to visit local stores to restock our food supplies.”

Click to watch the video that’s guaranteed to make you smile and maybe shed a happy tear or two.

With the donation the LOA has been able to restock its food pantry and get more emergency bags out to our seniors.  The food pantry remains fluid in that we get the food out almost as fast as it comes in.  We will continue to be in need of food donations and donations of paper products in order to get it out to the most vulnerable clients.

We also need volunteers to help us deliver the food.  We also need hand soap, hand sanitizer, gloves and face masks so that we can continue to serve for as long as is safely possible.