Arlington, VA – June 25, 2024 – Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) recently released “Aging in the United States: A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging.”

Building on the recent efforts in many states to develop multisector plans on aging, Meals on Wheels America welcomes ACL’s Strategic Framework for a national approach to improve the aging experience for older adults and create age-friendly communities that appreciate their contributions, sustain health and well-being at all ages, recognize and support family caregivers, and value and reward the work of volunteers and professionals who provide in-home and community-based care.  

Meals on Wheels America has begun a thoughtful analysis of the Strategic Framework to inform our recommendations for the National Plan on Aging, sharing insights and feedback based on our leadership efforts over the past 50 years to ensure that our nation’s seniors live nourished and connected lives with independence and dignity. Additionally, we are partnering with ACL to engage our grassroots network of more than 5,000 local senior nutrition programs, other stakeholders and older adults from all backgrounds and life experiences to provide valuable input. 

We are encouraged to see so many of our priorities and core values reflected across the Strategic Framework and look forward to collaborating in a variety of ways to help shape the National Plan on Aging and contribute to multi-sector efforts to realize its goals. This is an especially exciting opportunity given the close alignment with so many relevant areas of Meals on Wheels America’s latest strategic plan that will be unveiled in August, including prioritizing the circumstances and perspectives of older adults, centering community-based organizations that understand the needs and realities of the seniors they serve, building age-friendly communities designed to encourage health and well-being, aligning and coordinating collaboration between health care and human services, supporting the planned 2025 White House Conference on Aging, and lifting up the values of dignity, respect and inclusion. 

We commend ACL for its leadership and commitment to our nation’s older adults and appreciate the significant impact a National Plan on Aging will have on the aging services network. 

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ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.