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Nutrition
Program Anniversaries
25th Anniversary
More Than a Meal: Celebrating Older Americans Act
Elderly Nutrition Programs
On
Saturday, March 22, 1997, the Elderly Nutrition Programs (ENP)
of the Older Americans Act (OAA), will celebrate their Silver
Anniversary. On that date 25 years ago, President Richard Nixon
signed into law the Nutrition Program for the Elderly Act, legislation
that created the programs that are critical to the dignity and
independence of millions of Americans 60 and older across our
country.
These programs provide nourishing meals, companionship, and long
term care protections to older people in communities across the
United States. Because of this program, older persons who might
otherwise be isolated and lonely, or who lack the ability to purchase
food and prepare meals for themselves, now gather in community
settings with their friends or can receive daily well-balanced
meals delivered to their home, often by a senior volunteer. In
Fiscal Year 1995, 123 million meals were served to approximately
2.5 million older persons in congregate settings and 119 million
meals were served to approximately 989 thousand homebound older
persons.
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