Mindful Meals Foundation: Reducing Hunger Among Individuals 65 Years and Older, Grant Proposal Example

April 27, 2013

Todd …

Grant Program Officer

Daniels …

101 Monroe Street

Denver, CO 80206

Dear Mr. …

Mindful Meals is a newly developed non-profit organization that distributes nutritious foods to local older adults in need. Our primary goal is to ensure that persons aged 65 and older have a nutritious diet to improve their health and wellness. With the collaborative efforts of reputable organizations such as The Salvation Army, Full Bellies Food Rescue, and Young-Life Students, we at Mindful Meals strive to accomplish this goal.

Because of limited budgets and incomes, many older adults do not have enough food to satisfy their basic nutritional requirements. Most “affordable” food is highly processed and lacking adequate vitamins and minerals. Malnourishment often occurs due to decreased appetites, reduced metabolism, chronic illnesses, and side effects of medications. These additional stressors require proper nutrition and cannot be met on a poor diet. As a result, older adults who cannot afford nutritious meals often become ill and struggle with additional health problems.

Mindful Meals will ensure that 80% more of persons aged 65 and older in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards, and Eagle will be able to have access to healthy food choices. We will be working with Full Bellies Food Rescue to collect the daily perishable foods that would otherwise be thrown away by local grocery stores and restaurants and delivering it to disadvantaged older adults. All foods will be transported from local restaurants and grocery stores in a refrigerated van to The Salvation Army facility for sorting and delivery. We will also be initiating Plant-A-Row, a project which will encourage local farmers and gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to be donated to local older adults in need. The Salvation Army will be starting a vegetable garden this spring to contribute fresh produce.

By involving the participation of local farmers, older adults, and schools, local communities will benefit from this collaborative effort. Young-Life Students, a high school program, has agreed to help harvest and repackage the produce. Local older adults are also invited to participate, bridging the “generational gap” and encouraging both exercise and a sense of camaraderie. All left-over food products will be used in either a compost pile or donated to the local 4-H program as feed for the animals.

To ensure that our target population is reached, Mindful Meals will be placing advertisements in the Vail Daily and other local newspapers, local radio stations, and in fliers to be distributed to retirement and nursing facilities.

Funding will be required for the initial purchase of a refrigerated van at the price of $25,000 plus the cost of labor, gas, and upkeep of $25,000. We are requesting a donation from your foundation of $25,000 to pay for the initial purchase of the refrigerated van.

The other expenses will be divided between The Erion Foundation and The Rose Community Foundation. Additional costs for the program include copying, printing, advertising, and postage, which should be estimated to be $170.00 month. Plant-A-Row will require $50.00 for the cost of seeds. Other expenses of this program will be pro-bono and provided by donations and volunteers. Other finances will be provided by local community fundraisers.

Your goals at the Daniels Fund match ours in improving the quality of life for persons aged 65 and older. With your help, local older individuals in need will have access to nutritious foods which will improve their health and well-being. Your generous donation will be highly recognized and will help to ensure further support for your foundation.

We look forward to your consideration and the opportunity to submit a formal proposal for your review. Please contact us at (970) 333-444 or [email protected]. We will contact your office in one week to ensure receipt of this letter. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kathleen….

Executive Director

 Executive Summary

Mindful Meals is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing persons age 65 years and older nutritious foods to improve their health and quality of life. The mission is to initiate a project to ensure that older adults on limited incomes and lack transportation have the ability to maintain a healthy diet. Because persons aged 65 years and older have specific nutritional needs, Mindful Meals will target this specific population in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards, and Eagle.

A refrigerated van will deliver leftover foods from restaurants, grocery stores, and farms to The Salvation Army for sorting and distribution. A driver will be hired for eight hours a day, six days a week, and paid $12.00 per hour. Plant-A-Row, a side-project of Mindful Meals, will be initiated to encourage local farmers and gardeners to plant an extra row of fresh produce to donate to older individuals. Advertisements will be placed in local newspapers, radio stations, community centers, nursing- and retirement facilities. Participants will be selected by response to advertisements.

The estimated cost of this project is $75,000. The initial purchase of the refrigerated van is $25,000, with an additional $25,000 for labor and upkeep of the vehicle. The remaining $25,000 will pay for the additional costs of the program.

Needs Statement

To achieve health and wellness, proper nutrition is essential. Persons 65 years of age and older have specific nutrition requirement needed to live a healthy and active life. Unfortunately, since many older individuals exist on limited incomes and often do not have access to reliable transportation, obtaining healthy foods can be difficult.

According to the U.S. Census in 2010, the percentage of people 65 and older living in poverty is 9%, totaling 3.5 million senior adults. Even more are at risk for hunger. Ziliak and Gundersen (2012), estimate that one in seven older individuals faces the threat of hunger. Though some may be eligible for government assistance, 50% of all older individuals who are at risk have incomes above the federal poverty line. Even though many cannot afford nutritious foods, they are still denied assistance because their income is considered to be too high.

Though improvements in government programs are being made, subsidized foods are often deficient in nutrition. They are highly processed, containing toxic preservatives, and high amounts of salt, sugars, and saturated and trans-fats. This is especially problematic because certain physiological factors associated with aging make a proper diet even more crucial to health. Reduced metabolism, chronic illnesses, depression, and side effects from medication can all interfere with the ability to absorb nutrients.

The targeted recipients of this project will be adults 65 years of age and older who are existing on limited incomes and do not have access to nutritious foods. Mindful Meals will concentrate its efforts in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards and Eagle.

While there are many organizations dedicated to resolving hunger among persons 65 years of age and older, more work needs to be done. The amount of older adults threatened by malnourishment is only expected to increase. Ziliak and Gundersen (2012) predicted that by the year 2025, the number of persons 65 years of age and older in the United States who will be threatened by hunger will be 9.5 million. Eagle County is ranked number five among the top 10 counties in Colorado with the fastest growing population of senior citizens (“Douglas county seniors 2010,” 2011).

Your participation in this project is crucial to its success. By helping Mindful Meals deliver nutritious foods to local older adults in need, The Daniels Fund can impact not only their lives, but strengthen the bonds of community as well. Your generous donation will be highly recognized and will help to ensure further support for your foundation. The implementation of this project can improve the health and quality of life for many local older individuals and also can help to resolve the threat of hunger and malnourishment for future generations.

Goals and Objectives

Program Goals

The goal of Mindful Meals is to provide persons 65 years of age and older in need access to nutritious foods to improve their health and quality of life.

Program Objectives

To fulfill this goal, the following objectives will be implemented from May 1, 2013 to May 1, 2014:

• A refrigerated van will be purchased to deliver the foods from the local restaurants, grocery stores, and farms to the local chapter of The Salvation Army where it will be sorted and delivered to local older adults in need.
• A driver will be hired for the transportation of these foods.
• Mindful Meals will collaborate with the local chapters of The Salvation Army, Full Bellies Food Rescue, and Young-Life Students.
• Project Plant-A-Row will be initiated to encourage local farmers and gardeners to plant one extra row of fresh produce to donate to local older adults in the community.
• In one year, the amount of older adults benefiting from this project will increase by 80%.

The targeted segment of the population would be persons 65 years of age and older in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards, and Eagle. This program would increase the health and wellness of the targeted population and eliminate the waste of food.

Methods

Mindful Meals will deliver nutritious foods from local restaurants, grocery stores, and farms to local older adults in need. Services will be offered six days a week for at least one year. Each night, a driver will collect the surplus foods that would otherwise be thrown away and transport those foods in a refrigerated van to the local chapter of the Salvation Army for storage. To ensure that our target population is reached, Mindful Meals will be placing advertisements in the Vail Daily and other local newspapers, local radio stations, and in fliers to be distributed to retirement and nursing facilities. Mindful Meals will collaborate with Full Bellies Food Rescue to distribute these foods to local older adults. Because the need is immediate, this pilot project will begin in May of 2013 and evaluated in May of 2014.

The project will be advertised in local newspapers, radio stations, and community centers. Participating businesses and funders can use this opportunity to promote their businesses and foundations. After the initial purchase of the van, this project will require further funding to pay for the employment of a driver and the upkeep of the vehicle. Mindful Meals will continue to work with funders and other organizations within local communities to become involved. The local communities will be able to support this program because there will be access to a numerous amount of restaurants, grocery stores, and farms catering to tourists.

The outcome of the Mindful Meals project is anticipated to succeed due to

the high volume of restaurants and grocery stores which cater to tourists in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards, and Eagle. The project builds on established models such as Meals on Wheels, Full Bellies Food Rescue, and the Salvation Army to ensure that persons 65 years of age and older have access to a healthy diet.

Plant-A-Row is an additional project which the Mindful Meals Foundation will launch simultaneously and will work with the Salvation Army to encourage local farmers and gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to be donated to the local older adults in need. Young-Life Students and local older individuals will help in the planting and harvesting of the foods. By encouraging collaboration of the two generations, community bonds will be strengthened and the generational gap can be bridged. Any foods which are not used will be recycled in a compost pile or donated to the local 4-H program for animal food.

This project will benefit local older adults, the funding organizations, local restaurants and grocery stores, local farmers, and local communities.

Project Activities

March 2013

• A refrigerated van will be purchased for $25,000; the remaining cost of $50,000 will be divided between two other funders.
• A driver will be hired to work eight hours a day, six days a week. He/she will be paid $12.00 per hour.
• Participants in the project will be selected by volunteering and response to advertisements. Participants will include local recipients, restaurants, grocery stores, and farms.
• Volunteers will be selected for the sorting, planting, harvesting, and repackaging of foods.

May 2013 – May 2014

• Foods will be delivered by a driver from restaurants, grocery stores, and farms to local older adults in need.
• Detailed records of the food distribution will be maintained
• The nutritional content of the foods distributed will be evaluated by a registered dietician.
• Correspondence with both current and potential funders will be established and continued.
• Fundraisers events, such as raffles, will be established in the local communities.

May 2013

• Mindful Meals will begin to deliver food to older adults in need.

August 2013

• The first series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

November 2013

• The second series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

February 2014

• The third series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

May 2014

• The final series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations. This information will be prepared in a report to the Executive Director. The future direction of Mindful Meals will be determined.

Personnel of Mindful Meals

Kathleen Carrington, Executive Director, has her Master of Science in Gerontology and worked with persons aged 65 years and older to ensure that they received the best care in nursing and retirement centers, hospices, and within the home environment. She is responsible for the management of Mindful Meals and Plant-A-Row. Ms. Carrington will organize the collaboration of Mindful Meals with other participating organizations, funders, and the participating restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers. She will be responsible for managing the staff and volunteers of this program. Ms. Carrington will conduct the periodic evaluations of the program and determine the direction of Mindful Meals at the end of 12 months.

James Edwards, Vice Executive Director, has his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, and has spent the past five years working for non-profit organizations including Meals-On-Wheels and Habitat for Humanity. He will be responsible for advertising and marketing of Mindful Meals and will assist the Executive Director in her duties. He will accept the responsibilities of Executive Director if Ms. Carrington is unable to fulfill her duties.

Kyle Rosenthal, Program Secretary, will be responsible for administrative work of Mindful Meals. He has his Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies and has interned at local nursing homes and retirement centers in the Denver Metropolis. He will take notes and keep records of meetings, staff, and volunteers. He will contact various funders to cement the communication for Mindful Meals.

Denise Michaels, Program Treasurer, has her Master of Science in Finance and has spent the past 15 years serving the First National Bank in Vail Valley as Chief Financial Director. She will be responsible for managing the project’s budget and finances. She will organize the funds and grants provided by the funding organizations for the purchase of the refrigerated van and maintenance of the program.

Cara Rockford, Registered Dietician, has her Bachelor of Science in Biology and her Master of Science in Physiology. She concentrates her efforts on helping people to achieve better health through nutrition and healthy living. She will evaluate the nutrition content of the meals based on USDA standards.

Evaluation

To ensure the success of this program and satisfaction of all participants, Mindful Meals will evaluate its progress with a process evaluation every three months. Every three months, progress will be evaluated with qualitative questionnaires to be administered to older adults receiving food, and contributing businesses, funders, and organizations. Detailed recordings of the food delivered will be taken and its nutritional content will be evaluated based on USDA standards. After a 12 month trial period, a final report will be prepared and given to each participating business, funder, and organization for review. The direction of the project will then be determined. The final assessment will determine the success of distributing nutritious foods to local older adults in need. Success will be measured on the basis of whether or not Mindful Meals was able to meet its goal while remaining within its anticipated budget.

The satisfaction of the participants will be measured with subjective questionnaires to assess their benefit with the program. The local older individuals receiving the food will be given subjective questionnaires to assess improvements in their health and quality of life, their enjoyment of the foods, and overall satisfaction with the program. The participating funders, businesses, and organizations will be given subjective questionnaires assess their personal and professional satisfaction with Mindful Meals. All participants will be encouraged to provide suggestions for improvement.

Detailed records of the food will be kept and its nutrition content will be evaluated by a registered dietician. Correspondence with both current and future funders will be established and fundraisers will be held within the local communities.

The three-month evaluations will be reviewed in a brief report by the executive director. The data of each Colorado area will be compared to determine the demographics of success and if any improvements can be made. The final evaluations will be distributed to each participating funder, business, and organization. Success will be determined if Mindful Meals was able to meet its goal while remaining within its budget. Qualitative data will be questionnaires to assess the satisfaction of the participants. Quantitative data will consist of detailed records of the foods, cost of labor, seeds, advertisements, and upkeep of the vehicle and stored in a computer database.

Sustainability

To ensure that persons aged 65 and older have continuous access to nutritious foods, Mindful Meals will seek continuation grants from current participants and pursue funding and assistance from additional funders and businesses. Mindful Meals will also seek donations and assistance from local volunteers, organizations, and members of the communities. Community fundraisers, such as raffles, will be held to further assist the program.

At Mindful Meals, we are committed to ensuring that local older individuals have access to the nutritious foods they need to live a healthy life. Our goal is to work within local communities in Colorado to distribute foods and fresh produce to local people who above 65 years and in need. A refrigerated van will be purchased to deliver foods from local grocery stores, restaurants, and farms to ensure the safe transport of the food. Mindful Meals will collaborate with reputable organizations such as The Salvation Army, Full Bellies Food Rescue, and Young-Life Students. The Salvation Army will provide fresh produce from their vegetable gardens that will be started in the spring of 2013. The harvesting and repackaging of these foods will be assisted by Young-Life Students, a high school program, along with local older adults; this collaboration will help to bridge the generational gap which often occurs and foster a sense of community. Mindful Meals is also working to promote Plant-A-Row, a project that encourages local farmers to plant an extra row of produce and goods to donate to local older adults in need. Any food which is not consumed will be used in a compost pile or donated to the local 4-H program to feed the animals.

• To help cover costs, Mindful Meals will work with local older adults, Young-Life Students, and other volunteers to host community raffles and fundraisers.
• Mindful Meals will continue to seek funding and contributions to ensure the continuation of this project.

It is essential for the success of the program that Mindful Meals aggressively pursues future funding. The resources required to continue this program include staffing and volunteers, funders, vehicle upkeep, a place for sorting foods, computer database, seeds and farming equipment, a place for meetings to be held, and recipients of the food.

Mindful Meals will continue this project until services are no longer required and all persons aged 65 and older have access to nutritious foods.

Funders include: The Daniel’s Fund, The Erion Foundation, and The Rose Community Foundation. These non-profit organizations are noted for their diligent work with persons 65 years of age and older.

Organization Background

Mindful Meals is a 501(c) non-profit organization and was formed in January of 2013. This project combines the efforts of Meals on Wheels and Full Bellies Food Rescue by distributing leftover foods from restaurants, grocery stores, and farms to persons aged 65 years and older with nutritious foods. Mindful Meals strives to ensure that all older adults in need have access to a healthy diet.

Because many older individuals exist on limited incomes and have difficulty obtaining transportation, their access to fresh fruits and vegetables is restricted. By collecting leftover foods from restaurants and grocery stores and produce from local farms, Mindful Meals not only improves the quality of life for older adults, but helps to reduce waste and strengthens community bonds.

To help provide food and fresh produce, Mindful Meals will establish Plant-A-Row, a side-project which will encourage local farmers to plant an extra row of vegetables for local older adults in need. Both Young-Life Students and local older individuals will assist with the harvesting and repackaging of the foods, bridging the generational gap and fostering a sense of community.

Project Budget

2013-2014 Estimated Fiscal Year Budget

Income                                             Itemized                  Totals

Private Grants:

The Daniel’s Fund                     $25,000

The Erion Foundation                $25,000

The Rose Community                $25,000

Center

Total Private Grants                                                         $75,000

Fundraising:

Raffles                                        $15,000

Healthy Cooking Contests          $5,000

Total Fundraising                                                             $20,000

Mail Appeal                                   $12,000                      $12,000

Individual Donations                     $15,000                      $15,000

Total Projected Income:                                                   $122,000

Expenses                                       Itemized                     Totals

Salaries                                         $27,648                      $27,648

Purchase of                                   $25,000                      $25,000

refrigerated van

Vehicle upkeep and                      $25,000                      $25,000

transportation costs

Seeds for

Plant-A-Row                              $50                            $50

Phone                                            $720                          $720

Copying and printing                    $200                          $200

Advertising                                   $1600                        $1600

Postage and Shipping                    $240                          $240

Rent on Office                               $0                              $0

Utilities                                          $1800                        $1800

TOTAL EXPENSES                                                       $82,018

Surplus                                                                            $39,982

Budget Plan

To ensure that the funds will be met for this program, Mindful Meals will place advertisements in the Vail Daily and other local newspapers, local radio stations, and in fliers to be distributed to community centers and retirement and nursing facilities. Mindful Meals will collaborate with Full Bellies Food Rescue to distribute these foods to local older adults. Participating businesses and funders can use this opportunity to promote their businesses and foundations. Mindful Meals will continue to work with funders and other organizations within local communities to generate further participation.

The outcome of Mindful Meals is anticipated to succeed due to the high number of

restaurants and grocery stores which cater to tourists in the Colorado areas of Vail, Avon, Edwards, and Eagle. The project builds on established models such as Meals on Wheels, Full Bellies Food Rescue, and the Salvation Army to ensure that persons 65 years of age and older have access to a healthy diet.

Plant-A-Row is an additional project which the Mindful Meals Foundation will launch simultaneously and will work with the Salvation Army to encourage local farmers and gardeners to plant an extra row of produce to be donated to the local older adults in need. Young-Life Students and local older individuals will help in the planting and harvesting of the foods. Any foods which are not used will be recycled in a compost pile or donated to the local 4-H program for animal food. All surplus income will be used to further the development of Mindful Meals and Plant-A-Row and distributed to similar organizations which strive to improve the quality of life for older adults.

Budget Narrative

The estimated cost of this project from May 2013 to May 2014 is $75,000 and includes the initial purchase of the refrigerated van at $25,000. The remaining $50,000 will be used for upkeep of the refrigerated van, labor, and residual costs of the program. A driver will be hired to work six days a week for eight hours a day and receive $12.00 per hour, totaling $27,648 per year. We are requesting $25,000 from your organization for the initial purchase of the refrigerated van. Additional costs for the program will be generated from local community fundraisers and donations.

Copying, printing, and advertising are estimated to accrue a monthly expense of $150.00 per month. Postage is estimated to be $20.00 per month. Plant-A-Row will require $50.00 for the cost of seeds.

Other expenses of this program will be pro-bono and provided by donations and volunteers. Local restaurants, grocery stores, and farms will donate left-over foods. Local farms will also donate leftover seeds to contribute to Plant-A-Row. Overhead will be minimal, as the meetings will be held at the in-home office of the executive director.

Personnel will consist predominantly of pro-bono workers. Kathleen Carrington will serve as the executive director and organize and manage Mindful Meals and Plant-A-Row. She will directly work with other participating organizations, staff, volunteers, funders, and the participating restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers. James Edwards will serve as the vice executive director and will be responsible for advertising and marketing of Mindful Meals and will accept the duties of Executive Director if Ms. Carrington is unable to fulfill her duties. Kyle Rosenthal will serve as the program secretary and will perform clerical and administrative duties for Mindful Meals such as record-keeping, note-taking, and communication with funders, organizations, and recipients. Denise Michaels will function as the treasurer and will manage the project’s budget and finances. The nutrition contents of the foods will be evaluated by the registered dietician, Cara Rockford.

Our organization has the following proposals pending:

• The Daniels Fund $25,000
• The Erion Foundation $25,000
• The Rose Community Center Foundation $25,000
• Fundraising $20,000

Total $95,000

The following support has been committed:

• Individual Donations $27,000

Total $27,000 

Our request from the Daniels Fund would enable the initiation of the project by allowing us to purchase a refrigerated van as soon as possible.

To the program’s success, Mindful Meals will seek continuation grants from current participants and pursue funding and assistance from additional funders and businesses. Donations and assistance from local volunteers, organizations, and members of the communities will also be requested. Community fundraisers, such as raffles, will be held to further assist the program. All surplus funds will either be used to support Mindful Meals in the following years or be donated to like-minded organizations to ensure the health and well-being to older adults in need.

Project Timeline

March 2013 – May 2013

A refrigerated van will be purchased and a driver will be hired. Advertisements will be placed in local newspapers, radio stations, and senior centers to find participants for this program. Local older adults, volunteers, restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers will be gathered. Seeds will be planted to prepare for Plant-A-Row.

May 2013

Mindful Meals will begin to deliver food to older adults in need.

August 2013

The first series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

November 2013

The second series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

February 2014

The third series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations.

May 2014

The final series of evaluations will be sent to the recipients and participating businesses, organizations, and foundations. This information will be prepared in a report to the Executive Director. The future direction of Mindful Meals will be determined.

Appendices

Financial Appendices I’ll include these

A. 

B.

 C.

Personal Statements

Attached are personal statements of older adults who have benefited from programs similar to Mindful Meals. We wish to expand these positive outcomes to an even greater number of persons 65 years of age and older.

“I cannot express my gratitude to the kind people of Full Bellies Rescue. Since my diet has improved, I have had more energy and can play with my two grandchildren. Though my children tried to assist me, it was difficult for me to obtain foods on my own. But with the foods delivered to me, I feel more revitalized and healthy. It has inspired me to cook more for myself and family.”

• Roberta P.

“Meals on Wheels delivers food to me that I would not be able to have otherwise. I am unable to leave my home by myself and have difficulty cooking and preparing foods. I now have more time to spend with my family. As a result, I am happier and feel closer with my son and daughter.”

• Jacob C.

“Food has always been an important part in my life. Since my stroke left me partially paralyzed, I can no longer prepare the foods that I can enjoy. Though my children help me, I felt as though I had lost so much independence. They were worried and wanted me to live with them. Full Bellies Food Rescue has made it possible for me to continue to retain my independence and eating well is still a vital part of my life. My children no longer need to worry about me eating healthy food – now we can focus on fun things, like we used to before my stroke.”

• Kathy C.

“Before Meals on Wheels, I was struggling to make ends meet. My pension only offers me so much and the government provides no assistance for food. The harsh weather sometimes prevents me from getting out and I had to rely on other people to shop for me. As a result, the foods that I ate were not always the best. Meals on Wheels has helped to make sure that I can eat foods which are healthy. I feel reassured in knowing that I will be able to eat well and not have to drive in bad weather.”

• Joseph H.

Advisory Board and Key Staff

• Kathleen Carrington, Executive Director
• James Edwards, Vice Executive Director
• Kyle Rosenthal, Program Secretary
• Denise Michaels, Program Treasurer
• Cara Rockford, Registered Dietician

Contributing Organizations

• The Erion Foundation
• The Rose Community Foundation
• The Salvation Army
• Full Bellies Food Rescue
• Young-Life Students

Subjective Questionnaire Examples

Questionnaire for Participating Recipients

How did you hear of the Mindful Meals Foundation?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What made you decide to participate with the Mindful Meals Foundation?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please describe what positive changes occurred as a result of your participation with the Mindful Meals program.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are there any areas where the Mindful Meals program could improve?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Questionnaire for Participating Businesses and Foundations

How did you hear of the Mindful Meals Foundation?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What made you decide to participate with the Mindful Meals Foundation?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please describe what positive changes occurred as a result of your participation with the Mindful Meals program.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are there any areas where the Mindful Meals Foundation could improve?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please describe the impact the Mindful Meals Foundation has had on your business/foundation?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

References

(2011). Douglas county seniors 2010. Retrieved from Douglas County Community Planning and

Sustainable Development Department website:

http://www.douglas.co.us/documents/seniors.pdf

Davis, C., McMurry, K., Britten, P., Essery, E., O’Connell, K., Trumbo, P., Hayes, R., & Rihane, C. U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). Dietary guidelines for Americans: 2010. Retrieved from website: www.dietaryguidelines.gov

de Boer, A., Ter Horst, G., & Lorist, M. (2013). Physiological and psychosocial age-related changes associated with reduced food intake in older persons. Aging Research Reviews, 12(1), 316-28. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22974653

DeBono, N., Ross, N., & Berrang-Ford, L. (2012). Does the food stamp program cause obesity?

a realist review and a call for place-based research. Health Place, 18(4), 747-56. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22464979

Mente, A., Koon, K., Gao, P., Sleight, P., Dagenais, G., Avezum, A., Probstfield, J., & Dans, T. (2012, December 06). Seniors see 35% reduction in cardiovascular death risk from eating heart healthy diet. Retrieved from http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Nutrition-Vitamins/2012/20121206-Seniors_See.htm

Nutrition guidelines for senior citizens. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.seniors-site.com/nutritio/guides.html

Scott-Thomas, C. (2009, August 11). Does the food stamp program cause obesity?. Retrieved

from http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/Does-the-Food-Stamp-Program-cause-obesity

Senior health: How to prevent and detect malnutrition. (2012, August 10). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/senior-health/HA00066

Tufts university nutrition scientists unveil myplate for older adults. (2012, October 05).

TuftsNow. Retrieved from http://hnrca.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/MyPlateforOlderAdults.pdf

United States Census Bureau, Public Information Office. (2012). Older Americans month: May 2012. Retrieved from website: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb12-ff07.html

Ziliak, J., & Gundersen, C. Meals on Wheels Research Foundation, Inc., (2012). Senior hunger in America: 2010

Ziliak, J., Gundersen, C., & Heist, M. (n.d.). The causes, consequences, and future of senior hunger in america. Manuscript submitted for publication, Center for Poverty Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, .