TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The A Plate Full of Care Senior Meals Program has kept the senior citizens of the Flowing Wells community fed for years. While the program is now in need of funding, community members believe it can get back on track with enough donor support.
KGUN 9's JJ McKinney spoke with Ellie Towne, who says she has a passion to help support seniors in need.
“This means a lot to me directly, because I've been working with the community since I retired in 96...and this is another thing that this community needs,” Towne said.
That need led Towne to partner with Pima Council on Aging and Catholic Community Services to create the program, A Plate Full of Care.
"We were averaging about 50 people for three meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,” Towne said. “We had meals three times a week, and that's what we're hoping to continue to do.”
A Plate Full of Care has been feeding seniors since 2007, with the most recent meal being in June of this year. Now the program has come to a halt and is in need of donor support to keep going.
“What we need to happen right now is we're asking for corporate donations right now, to hopefully receive some money so that we at least can pay for the first year's meals, and we're figuring about $45,000,” said Towne.
Towne tells KGUN 9 the $45,000 will help A Plate Full of Care feed seniors three times a week, for one year.
“This program helps the community very much because for many of these people that come here for this meal, this is the only meal they have for the day,” Towne said. “We don't know what happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but lots of them like to take some of the meal home so they have something to eat that night or something for the next day. There are many people that need this service.”
Towne believes with enough donor support, a plate full of care will be able to start feeding the citizens of Flowing Wells as early as October.
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