INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Cleveland Clinic has committed $600,000 over five years to support Senior Resource Association’s Meals on Wheels program in Indian River County, the organizations announced Tuesday.
The health system will provide $120,000 annually over the next five years as part of a broader $50 million initiative aimed at reducing hunger and improving access to nutritious food across communities it serves.
Senior Resource Association, the county’s lead agency for healthy aging services, said the funding will help provide 9,375 home-delivered meals this year to older adults who are homebound, disabled or facing complex health challenges.
According to the organization, demand for the program continues to rise. SRA said it currently serves 355 seniors from a waitlist of 502 people, while 147 individuals remain without service. The waitlist is growing by an average of 25 seniors each month.
“This extraordinary commitment from Cleveland Clinic will change lives in Indian River County,” SRA President and CEO Karen Deigl said in a statement. “For the seniors we serve, Meals on Wheels is stability and the reassurance that someone cares. This long-term support allows us to reach more older adults who are waiting and truly struggling to meet their most basic needs.”
The organization said nearly 250 volunteers deliver more than 2,700 meals each week through the program while also providing wellness checks and social interaction for seniors living alone.
SRA cited program survey data showing that 92% of Meals on Wheels recipients are able to continue living independently at home because of the service, while 90% reported improvements in their dietary health.
SRA Board Chair Lisa Thompson-Barnes said the funding comes as many seniors face increasing financial strain.
“Too many older adults in our community are forced to choose between food, medication, and housing,” Thompson-Barnes said. “Cleveland Clinic’s investment arrives at a critical moment and gives SRA the capacity to respond with compassion and care, ensuring seniors receive the assistance they need while being treated with dignity.”