This grant is administered through Eastern Oklahoma Development District in Muskogee in partnership with Mama C’s restaurant, delivers a hot meal to Muskogee seniors five days a week throughout the year. Participants are reluctant to openly share their stories using their names. Although very grateful to receive the meals daily, they don’t want anyone to know they are getting “help” from anywhere. However, they will speak anonymously and tell openly how much they appreciate the meals, how much receiving regular meals has helped them. Some of the benefits they mention are to get better nutrition since often it’s the only real meal they eat daily, the rest of the day they either snack or don’t eat at all; to see someone every day who delivers their meals–they get to know them by name, they feel connected and look forward to taking the meal from the person they know. Many have stated they don’t feel as isolated or cut off from what’s going on around them. Photos attached are stock photos representative of the participants served by the program but are not photos of actual participants. Several participants have received other needed services through the interview and enrollment process to get them started on MMOG meals. Soon they will be able to access transportation services geared to seniors as well as the meals from the Foundation through funding specifically geared for senior transportation. The MMOG meal program serves as a great catalyst to offering other senior services to a population who may distrust “the system”. The saying “a person doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” certainly applies here. Consistent delivery of a freshly prepared meal helps gain their trust and they are much more receptive to hearing about and accessing additional services.
