Daughters of Penelope Donates $10,000 to Meals on Wheels America

The Daughters of Penelope (DOP), a leading international service organization comprised of  women of Hellenic heritage and Philhellenes, proudly presented a $10,000 donation to Meals on  Wheels America, September 21, 2023, announced Grand President Marianthi Treppiedi. Grand  President Treppiedi presented the donation to Meals on Wheels America President and CEO  Ellie Hollander. 

“We are proud to support the worthy mission of Meals on Wheels America and its vision of an  America in which all seniors live nourished lives with independence and dignity,” Grand  President Treppiedi said. “We present our donation during both Malnutrition Awareness Week  and Falls Prevention Awareness Week, and hope we can assist, in a modest way, senior nutrition  programs such as Meals on Wheels, that play a critical role in combating senior hunger,  malnutrition, falls and isolation.” 

Treppiedi also informed Hollander that the Grand President’s National Project this year is to  encourage Daughters chapters to support their local Meals on Wheels programs. 

“As the older adult population increases along with the costs associated with meeting their needs,  10 million older Americans worry about having enough food and Meals on Wheels programs are  struggling to keep up with the demand,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO at Meals on  Wheels America. “We deeply thank the Daughters of Penelope for their ongoing commitment to  the issue of senior hunger and isolation and for this generous donation.

We would also like to  express our gratitude for President Treppiedi’s encouragement of Daughters chapters to support  with local Meals on Wheels programs at a time when one in three seniors feel lonely and, for  many Meals on Wheels clients, the volunteer delivering their meal is the only person they will  see that day.” 

This is the sixth $10,000 donation in as many years to Meals on Wheels America, which is the  leading organization to address senior hunger and isolation. 

“Our support of Meals on Wheels America dovetails with our community service programs that  assist our nation’s older adults who are in need,” Treppiedi added. “For example, Meals on  Wheels serves many residents of AHEPA’s and Daughters’ 87 affordable senior housing  communities.” 

“The Daughters of Penelope is grateful to the AHEPA National Housing Corporation for  awarding us a grant to make this donation possible,” Treppiedi said. 

Executive Director Elena Saviolakis and Grand Governor Linda Belba accompanied Grand  President Treppiedi to the presentation. Meals on Wheels America’s Senior Director of  Individual Giving Christina Logothetis Ritchie accompanied President and CEO Hollander. 

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 dedicated volunteer workforce, this network delivers the nutritious  meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with  independence and dignity. 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. 

About the Daughters of Penelope 

Founded in San Francisco in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope (DOP) is the first women’s service  organization of its kind established in the United States. It is an affiliate organization of the  American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA). 

The mission of the DOP is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Hellenism, Education,  Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence. For more information about the DOP, or any of its programs or projects, please  visit www.daughtersofpenelope.org.