From the pages of In Business magazine.
It’s been just over a month since the Evening Meals on Wheels program at Independent Living Inc., a Madison-based nonprofit, received a special donation that you could say has kept the program moving full speed ahead.
Just in time for Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, Subaru donated a 2018 Outback to the program. The brand-new vehicle was used for food deliveries to area seniors the very next day.
The donation came as part of Subaru’s 50th anniversary celebration, and in keeping with its commitment to support local communities nationwide, Subaru of America Inc. donated 50 new Subaru Outback vehicles to select Meals on Wheels programs throughout the country in partnership with Meals on Wheels America. Those vehicles will be used to deliver an estimated 53,000 meals to an additional 3,700 seniors across 39 states.
The Evening Meals on Wheels program in Madison is the only one in Wisconsin to receive the new vehicle, something Independent Living CEO Joyce Behrend is grateful for this winter. “Our dedicated volunteers and staff have a 90-minute window to make evening deliveries. The Subaru Outback will be invaluable in helping us meet those commitments to the seniors we serve. This is especially true during the winter season when driving conditions can be challenging and sometimes a deterrent for our volunteers.”
On average, Madison’s Evening Meals on Wheels program produces 34,800 meals annually, delivered by approximately 180 volunteers and organizations traveling 26,400 miles. It is the only evening program of its kind in Dane County.
To prep the Evening Meals on Wheels vehicle for delivery, the national Subaru organization worked with local Subaru retailer Don Miller Subaru West. Craig Halliday, retailer marketing manager for Subaru’s Minneapolis region, says, “We were excited that six Meals on Wheels programs in our region were selected. It’s even better that the recipient in Madison is already familiar with Subaru. The Evening Meals on Wheels program worked with John Duell, the general manager, back in 2011 when they acquired a new Subaru at that time.”
For the last nine years, Subaru of America has supported the national Meals on Wheels network through “Share the Love,” its annual philanthropic event. In total, the holiday program has contributed more than $12 million to Meals on Wheels America and provided more than 1.7 million nutritious meals, friendly visits, and safety checks for seniors.
“Subaru’s ‘50 Cars for 50 Years’ vehicle donation will enable local Meals on Wheels programs, such as the program offered through Independent Living, to expand its reach to many Madison area seniors in need,” says Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America.
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