Imagine if you will, that you will only see one person today. You are 70 years old and homebound. Your family lives many miles away. Your number one concern is your own health and well-being. You hope that you will be able to remain in your own home. Then, the doorbell rings - your Meals on Wheels volunteer is there.

So for us, what we do is much more than just providing a hot, nutritious meal. Our volunteers check on the elderly person who lives all alone to make sure they are OK. We also provide a moment of conversation, of warmth - a simple, caring smile. In fact, for some of the people we help, the person-to-person contact is more important than the meal.

As our elderly population grows, more and more elderly folks do everything they can to continue living independently in their own homes. In fact, often times without the hot meals and proper nutrition we provide, that elderly person would have to leave the home where they lived for years, or sometimes their whole life. By the end of each day, we will have visited over 2,800 elderly Rhode Islanders who rely on us for a hot meal - and so much more.

Our seniors over the age of 65 make up the highest percentage of the Rhode Island population. That's why I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help, and on behalf of the homebound elderly person who will be able to remain independent because of your support, I want to say, "Thank you."

Best wishes,