One of New Opportunities’ annual campaigns benefiting Meals on Wheels clients is now underway! The fundraiser, “Buy a Wheel” for Meals on Wheels will run through the month of March 2015.
    For the donation of a dollar, paper “wheels” will be offered for sale in retail stores throughout the Greater Waterbury and Danbury area. In exchange, the “wheel” which will list the donor’s name, will be hung for display at the location in which it was purchased. Each wheel has a UPC barcode on the back for easy tracking. All funds raised by an establishment will stay with the Meals on Wheels program in that business’s community. As an incentive to store employees, gift certificates will be awarded as a prize to the top selling cashiers.
   “Every dollar raised goes directly toward the purchase of meals for homebound seniors,” said Lisa Labonte, Senior Nutrition Services Director at New Opportunities, Inc. Fundraising events such as the Buy a Wheel campaign help offset the shortfall in funding over the last few years – coupled with rising costs and the growing demand for Meals on Wheels service – allowing Meals on Wheels to continue serving seniors in need.
Last year the Meals on Wheels program served 1,701 homebound seniors 486,169 home delivered meals in the greater Waterbury and Danbury regions. In addition, area senior centers and the Senior Dine Program were provided 58,592 meals serving 2,749 seniors.
   Participating stores will be recognized on the NOI website and in several newspapers for their efforts.
Interested business owners are asked to contact Lisa Labonte by phone at (203) 575-4208; email: llabonte@newoppinc.org.