Bend, Ore., January 28, 2021 – The Council on Aging of Central Oregon today announced that the Cow Creek
Umpqua Indian Foundation has awarded a $12,000 grant for Meals on Wheels programming in Deschutes
County. The Council on Aging will use the funds to provide home-delivered meals to adults aged 60+ who are
at nutritional risk due to decreased mobility, lack of ability to stand and prepare a meal or are unable to shop
and carry groceries on their own.
“The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation continues to support one of our most important programs – Meals
on Wheels,” said Susan Rotella, Executive Director for the Council on Aging of Central Oregon. “Their generous
and sustained support, especially now during COVID-19, allows us to serve many more older adults in
Deschutes County with home-delivered meals and a regular wellness check by a friendly volunteer. We are
grateful for the $29,500 they have provided over the past three years to help us in meeting the needs of our
most vulnerable community members.”
“Our Foundation is excited to support the Council on Aging of Central Oregon because the delivery of Meals
on Wheels is so critical for older adults who are homebound,” said Carma Mornarich, Foundation Director for
the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. “We believe that no one should go hungry, and Meals on Wheels
is an important and proven program to help support seniors, not only with food, but also with regular contact
from volunteers.”
Meals on Wheels is a well-known public-private partnership that effectively addresses the challenges of aging
by promoting health and improving quality of life for at-risk seniors. With the Meals on Wheels network in
Deschutes County, the community has the opportunity to keep seniors healthy and independent at home,
where they want to be, and keep them out of more costly healthcare alternatives.
Each year the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation makes grants to eligible non-profit organizations in
communities in Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Lane counties. We are thankful
for their commitment investing in basic needs to provide food and shelter so families can stop worrying about
where their next meal will come from.
Central Oregon adults over 60 and contending with interim and long-term mobility challenges are eligible for
Meals on Wheels service at no cost. To find out more, contact the Council on Aging of Central Oregon at (541)
678-5483 or councilonaging.org/services/meals-on-wheels.
