[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 56 (Thursday, March 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1811-S1812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING VERMONT MEALS ON WHEELS

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to 
recognize the extraordinary work of Vermont's Meals on Wheels Programs.
  Each March, we celebrate March for Meals to draw attention to the 
incredible work of Meals on Wheel throughout the country, including in 
my home State of Vermont. All across our State, hundreds of volunteers 
regularly deliver freshly cooked, nutritious meals to thousands of 
older people in their homes, many of whom otherwise might not have 
enough to eat. These volunteers play a critically important role in 
helping ensure that older Vermonters have access to adequate nutrition. 
In and of itself, that is no small matter.
  In a typical year, Meals on Wheels volunteers do so much more than 
delivering meals. These volunteers provide critical social interaction 
for the people they visit, which goes a long way to combat the effects 
of isolation that many Vermonters face, especially in rural areas. 
Without this social interaction, seniors are more likely to have 
feelings of loneliness and depression, which puts them at higher risk 
for dementia, chronic disease, falls, and hospitalization. Their 
regular visits serve another purpose as well. The volunteers know each 
person they visit and recognize immediately if something does not seem 
right. It is no exaggeration to say that volunteers have literally 
saved Vermonters' lives by following up when no one answers the door, 
taking the time to discover that someone had fallen and been injured.
  During the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers--both new and existing--
stepped up to deliver over 1 million meals to over 7,500 Vermonters. 
This represents a 30-percent increase in the number of meals and almost 
a 20-percent increase in the number of people receiving meals through 
this vital Federal program. At a time when so many Vermonters struggled 
with the dual hardship of loneliness and hunger cause by the COVID-19 
pandemic, Meals on Wheels served as a critical lifeline.
  In addition to the many Meals on Wheels volunteers throughout 
Vermont, I also want to recognize and thank the caring and dedicated 
professionals who run Vermont's Meals on Wheel Programs. From the chefs 
who prepare the nutritious meals with skill and care, to the program 
staff who ensure that everything runs smoothly, these Vermonters are 
the backbone of what makes Meals on Wheels the success that it is. In 
March, when so much of our State shut down due to the pandemic, these 
dedicated people immediately pivoted to expand Meals on Wheels and 
ensure that any older Vermonter who wanted a meal could get one. This 
was particularly important for all those who had previously relied on 
congregate meal programs, which were unsafe during the pandemic.
  Together, every single Meals on Wheels volunteer and staff person 
forms an indispensable link in our social safety net and has my sincere 
appreciation for their remarkable work. As more and more Vermonters are 
now vaccinated and the State begins a careful reopening, following the 
science and ensuring the safety of all our people, I look forward to a 
day when I and

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my Vermont staff can once again visit the Meals on Wheels Program and 
meet the volunteers and recipients in person.

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