[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20332-20333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            MEALS ON WHEELS

  (Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise during this 
Christmas season to speak about a public-private partnership that 
creates real impact in the communities I represent: Meals on Wheels.
  Today, a national army of 2 million volunteers is preparing and 
delivering about 1 million meals to America's most vulnerable, hungry, 
and isolated seniors.
  I am very proud of the Third District of South Carolina for many 
reasons, but I am especially proud of programs like Pickens County 
Meals on Wheels in Liberty, South Carolina. This is just one of 
thousands of Meals on Wheels programs across the country that provides 
more than just meals. Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals, safety 
checks, and friendly visits on a daily basis, which allow seniors to 
age in their own homes with the independence and dignity that they 
deserve.
  The precious and powerful combination of nutrition and socialization 
has proven to improve health, reduce falls, avert unnecessary visits to 
the ER, and reduce hospital admissions and readmissions. This, in turn, 
saves billions of dollars in Medicaid and Medicare expenses. In fact, a 
Meals on Wheels program can provide a senior with meals for an entire 
year for less than the cost of 1 day in the hospital or a week in the 
nursing home.
  I call on my colleagues to learn more about these vital programs, the 
seniors they serve, and the grave and growing and expensive problem of 
senior hunger, a problem that will undoubtedly worsen if left 
unaddressed.
  Merry Christmas, America.

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