Youth Volunteers Sought To Create Valentines For Meals On Wheels Recipients

Photo: Department of Resilience and Community Services

Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program invites young people to create handmade Valentine’s Day cards as part of the annual  Love Letters campaign. The cards will then be included in meal deliveries to Meals on Wheels recipients and shared with other senior programs to help lift the spirits of older adults in our community.

Now in its fifth year, Love Letters was introduced through a partnership with DoSomething.org, a global non-profit organization which encourages young people to make a positive change, and Meals on Wheels America.  Because of its enormous popularity — both with youth and seniors — staff members with the Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program remain committed to carrying on this tradition.

“Each year, these handmade cards brighten the lives of hundreds of seniors in our community,” said Faith Aeilts, program manager of Senior Services, a division of Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services.  “We are grateful to the numerous individuals, schools, scout troops and other youth service providers who have contributed cards in previous years and hope we can once again count on an outstanding response.”

“The students at the J. Graham Brown School have participated in this wonderful outreach with Louisville Metro Meals on Wheels for the past few years”, stated Stacey Powell, staff member with the Brown School who champions the Love Letters campaign.  “Our students are wonderful, caring, and compassionate. In the past we have submitted hundreds of beautiful handcrafted cards!  We are excited to participating again and our students are always eager to have their cards delivered.  We hope they bring smiles to the recipients.”

This year’s goal is to deliver at least one card to the more than 400 Meals on Wheels recipients and to also share with the hundreds of participants at one of the 22 congregate meal sites for more active seniors.

To donate cards to the local Meals on Wheels program, feel free to drop off any weekday by Feb. 9 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 701 W. Ormsby Ave. Suite 201.  Contact Tiffany Woodson, Volunteer Coordinator for the Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program at 574-6420 or Tiffany.Woodson@louisvilleky.gov with any questions.

The Louisville Metro Senior Nutrition Program is funded, in part, under a contract with KIPDA and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for Health and Family Services with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  To learn more about eligibility or how to volunteer, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services/senior-nutrition-program or call 502/574-6325.