Welcome to Skagit County

August 30, 2021

Haggen and Skagit County Meals on Wheels in Partnership to End Hunger 

Beginning on Wednesday, September 1st, Haggen guests can make a donation to the Heroes Against Hunger Fundraising Campaign by using the pin-pad at checkout at the Mount Vernon and Burlington Haggen locations. Portions of the donations will benefit the Skagit County Meals on Wheels program, a program which provides nutritious, noontime meals to senior citizens residing in Skagit County.

Skagit County Meals on Wheels was one of twenty-three organizations selected by each Haggen store to benefit from this campaign. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go directly to the program’s operating costs, which are in much need of a financial boost after the economic strain posed by the pandemic.

Hunger was already an issue for seniors before COVID-19. Meals on Wheels American states that nearly 9.7 million seniors were threatened by hunger before the pandemic. In 2020, existing problems were exacerbated amongst our vulnerable senior population; economic burden, decreased access to care, and chronic loneliness put many seniors at risk across the country.

In 2020, Skagit County Meals on Wheels saw a 23 percent increase in demand. More of our seniors needed access to hot, nutritious food, and thankfully—the program was able to accommodate these requests! While many similar programs throughout Washington State had to implement waitlists for meals or had to shift to frozen-only meal services, the Skagit County Meals on Wheels program actually increased its capacity to serve our local seniors.

Currently, the program is able to respond almost immediately to the nutrition needs of our Skagit County senior population. That said, operating at this level of demand has put a significant financial stress on the program. It is Skagit County Meals on Wheels’ goal to continue meeting these needs and to avoid any delays due to waitlists or altered meal availability. Your donation would greatly assist with this goal.

The Skagit County Meals on Wheels Program has a thirty-plus year history of working to provide services to meet the priority issue of hunger that exists among senior citizens residing in Skagit County. The program currently serves over 700 seniors throughout the county, providing over 116,700 meals annually.

Meals are cooked using the freshest ingredients and are prepared Monday through Friday at a central kitchen, then delivered at lunchtime by volunteers to each senior’s home. Those the program serves not only benefit from a hot, fresh, and lovingly prepared meal; the daily one-on-one contact also fills a need that many of our seniors look forward to each day.

The Heroes Against Hunger Fundraiser will run from September 1st through October 26th. For more information about the fundraiser, please go to https://www.haggen.com/community-giving/hunger/ or call Skagit County Meals on Wheels at (360) 416-1500.

Are you 60 years of age or older, unable to leave your home without assistance, or unable to prepare meals? You may be eligible for the Meals on Wheels program. To schedule services for yourself or a loved one, call Skagit County Meals on Wheels at (360) 416-1500.