1Designating March 20, 2014, as "March for Meals Day" in
2Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Hunger among senior citizens in America is a serious
4and pervasive problem, as one in seven seniors is threatened by
5hunger; and

6WHEREAS, Research indicates that 8.3 million seniors faced
7the threat of hunger in 2010, which reflects a 78% increase
8since 2001; and

9WHEREAS, Since the economic recession began in 2007, there
10has been a 34% increase in senior hunger and the threat of
11hunger for seniors increased in 44 states; and

12WHEREAS, The Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA)
13annually sponsors the March for Meals campaign, which is
14designed to raise awareness of senior hunger and encourage
15action at the local level; and

1WHERAS, Senior nutrition programs across the United States
2promote March for Meals in their communities through public
3events, volunteer recruitment efforts, partnerships with local
4businesses and fundraising initiatives; and

5WHEREAS, The MOWAA is the oldest and largest national
6organization composed of and representing local, community-based
7senior nutrition programs in all 50 states, as well as the
8United States Territories; and

9WHEREAS, There are approximately 5,000 local senior nutrition
10programs in the United States, which daily provide more than 1
11million meals to seniors who need them; and

12WHEREAS, There are between 800,000 and 1.7 million individual
13volunteers involved in these programs, which is the largest
14volunteer army in the nation; and

15WHEREAS, On September 1, 2009, the MOWAA Board of Directors
16approved a new vision for the MOWAA, which is to end senior
17hunger by the year 2020; and

18WHEREAS, To achieve this mission, MOWAA has set a goal of
19recruiting 6 million people who are willing to stand up and
20pledge to do what it takes to end senior hunger; and

21WHEREAS, The annual March for Meals campaign should continue
22to contribute significantly toward realizing this ambitious and
23most worthy goal, and citizens of this Commonwealth are
24encouraged to participate in this effort to fight senior citizen
25hunger; therefore be it

26RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate March
2720, 2014, as "March for Meals Day" in Pennsylvania.