The Klein JCC held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a greenhouse built with a grant from the Walmart Foundation and Meals on Wheels of American Association. The food grown in the greenhouse will be used for meals to be delivered to local homebound seniors, Monday, June 11, 2012, Philadelphia, Pa. (Maria Pouchnikova)
The Klein JCC, at 10100 Jamison Ave., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a greenhouse built with a $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation and Meals on Wheels of America Association.
The greenhouse, adjacent shed and outdoor freezer were constructed thanks to a so-called “Building for the Future Grant.”
The Klein JCC prepares and delivers 45,000 meals annually to homebound seniors in Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery counties who cannot cook for themselves.
“The new greenhouse will grow its own fresh produce to share with the senior population and for use in meals for homebound seniors,” said Sue Aistrop, hunger relief volunteer manager for the Klein JCC. “It additionally will allow the Klein JCC to recruit and engage volunteers to help provide an additional five-thousand nutritious meals annually to some five-hundred area homebound seniors. Thanks to the Walmart Foundation-MOWAA grant, we were provided the resources to expand services at a time when demand is growing significantly.”
According to research by the Meals on Wheels group, more than 6 million senior citizens in the United States face hunger issues.
The Walmart Foundation has pledged $2 billion to support hunger relief efforts through 2015. The corporation last year donated $5 million to Meals on Wheels. ••
