Connection assists seniors

Community Connection of Northeast Oregon is gearing up early for a new holiday fundraising program to assist seniors served by Meals on Wheels who are struggling with nutritional  issues and making tough choices between paying for medication, housing, utilities and food.

Project 7, a program modeled on the Project 12 campaign in Georgia, seeks to raise $6,000 by Dec. 12 to fight senior hunger in Union County. Carmen Gentry, Community Connection’s Union county manager, said the idea
behind the program is to start a “wave” of people helping people.

“The program needs only 500 individuals to donate $12 one time for the cause to reach its goal, which will make a substantial impact on our services locally,” Gentry said.

Gentry said the idea is for seven people to donate $12, and then get seven more to donate, who in turn get seven and so on.

“This wave is very simple but will make a huge impact on those we serve,” she said. It feels good to know that one donation and spreading the word will really help a senior in need.”

Gentry said that with seven people making a one-time donation of $12 each, Community Connection can serve one person one month worth of meals. Donations help assure the Meals on Wheels program can continue, Gentry said.

“We all have grandparents whom we love,” she said. “Many people receiving Meals on Wheels do not have family locally to check on them regularly or run to the grocery store for them. Many times the only people they see are our Meals on Wheels volunteers.”

Donations should be sent to Community Connection, 1504 Albany St., La Grande, Ore., 97850. Checks should have a notation that the money is for the Project 7 initiative.