LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Meals on Wheels of Syracuse, New York
Inc. upon the occasion of its 50th Anniversary

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to recognize and
acknowledge those organizations within our midst which have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life within the communities in
which they operate; and
WHEREAS, One such organization is Meals on Wheels of Syracuse, New
York Inc., which began serving the Syracuse community on May 20, 1959,
as the fourth Meals on Wheels program in the United States; and
WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings serving just 20 seniors a day,
Meals on Wheels of Syracuse has grown substantially, and now serves
nearly 400 seniors each day; and
WHEREAS, According to its mission statement, the purpose of Meals on
Wheels of Syracuse is "to organize, plan, and administer the service of
delivering well-balanced, nutritious meals at the lowest possible cost
to the recipient"; and
WHEREAS, Meals on Wheels is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit agency,
which, through its 50 years of service, has served more than 6 million
nourishing meals to thousands of homebound seniors, people with disabil-
ities and others who might otherwise go hungry or be unable to remain
independent in their homes; and
WHEREAS, Its services also help preserve dignity and independence by
delaying nursing home placements, as well as reducing the frequency of
hospitalizations and helping to sustain good health; and
WHEREAS, The volunteers deserve to be recognized for their commitment
to the community; not only do they deliver the meals to the recipients,
they also make contact with the recipients, which helps to keep the
recipients emotionally healthy; and
WHEREAS, In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, Meals on Wheels of
Syracuse will hold a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on May 7, 2009, at
Drumlins Country Club to honor its volunteers and thank them for their
hard work and dedication; and
WHEREAS, It is evident that Central New York is a better place because
of the long-term presence of Meals on Wheels of Syracuse, which has
built a remarkable record of serving our seniors, those with disabili-
ties and many others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay
tribute to Meals on Wheels of Syracuse, its staff, its board of direc-
tors and its selfless volunteers; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Mason Kaufman, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Syra-
cuse, New York Inc.