“AMERICA, LET’S DO LUNCH” CHAPTER TWO HAS LANDED!

On Thursday, March 22, President and CEO Ellie Hollander and Meals on Wheels People volunteer (and PSA star) Nina Byrd took to local news airwaves from Mississippi to Seattle to announce the exciting new “America, Let’s Do Lunch” TV PSAs, radio spots, digital ads, billboards and bus shelter ads that are now available to media—and you! With one-third of Americans already aware of the campaign, this new chapter offers you an incredible opportunity to leverage the increased public perceptions for even more volunteers and support in your community!

WHAT CAN YOU DO

Help us promote the campaign on social media by sharing our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram launch messages now! You’ll be following in the steps of fellow Members, and even Esquire Magazine.

Visit the Campaign Hub (User Name: mealsonwheels, Password: americaletsdolunch) to find a number of updated resources, including:

Social media toolkit;
Multi-media and template press releases;
The new PSAs themselves; and,
Guidance on how to get the PSAs placed in your area.

Make some noise in your community now, and be sure to keep a steady drumbeat going all year round, as we’ll have a number of exciting campaign activations coming down the road. To learn more about those, watch the Ad Council Campaign Chapter Two Preview webinar recording. While you may not see the new PSAs out in the market right away, media will work them into rotation soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Together, we can continue to inspire a new generation of support for Meals on Wheels!

Questions? Email adcouncil@mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

INTRODUCING THE 2018 CONFERENCE FOCUS AREAS AND NEW SESSION TRACKS

Calling all mission-driven, forward-thinking minds to join us in Charlotte this August!

2018 MEALS ON WHEELS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO

THE WESTIN CHARLOTTE
CHARLOTTE, NC
AUGUST 28 - 30, 2018
Pre-Conference Events begin Monday, August 27

BOOK YOUR STAY TODAY

Charlotte Skyline

We’re gearing up to take on the Meals on Wheels network’s greatest challenges and opportunities in Charlotte this August through three days of learning sessions, inspiring keynote speakers and stimulating networking events. And, we’ll need you to bring your passion, experience and ideas to this purposeful convening.

Our 2018 focus areas include:

PREPARING FOR HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS
Invaluable opportunities to integrate Meals on Wheels into the healthcare ecosystem are no longer emerging – they have arrived. Attending this year’s Conference will give you the support and guidance your program needs to confidently pursue these revenue-generating partnerships in your community. Healthcare experts and successful peers will demonstrate how to adapt existing models and measure outcomes to improve care meet the needs of payers. Sessions will accommodate varying levels of knowledge and readiness, and will focus on three crucial competencies:

Service Offering Development
Data Collection and Standardization
Compliance

STRENGTHENING THE MEALS ON WHEELS ADVANTAGE
The senior nutrition market has become extremely competitive and, now more than ever, we must fight for funding, contracts and a place at the table. Together, we must adapt to this new landscape and differentiate our unique and invaluable offerings from our competitors, focusing on defining and enhancing our value proposition across the following areas that combine to make Meals on Wheels the unique value that it is:

Nutrition
Socialization
Safety and Independence

TAKING OUR WORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Thriving in the ever-changing field of senior nutrition and nonprofit management is no easy task. From innovative nutrition services and volunteer management to leadership, storytelling, fundraising and financial planning, this year’s Conference caters to senior nutrition professionals at all stages of their careers, focusing on the necessary skills and competencies needed to grow in your unique role, advance your organization and continue to support the older adults in your community.

NEW SESSION TRACKS

We’ll be introducing new session tracks for learning that will allow you to tailor and optimize your 2018 Conference experience through these key focus areas that build on the overall strategic direction of our network. The new tracks are:

Community Engagement – Designed to equip program staff at all levels with the skills and information needed to more effectively engage your communities to advocate for support, inspire lifelong ambassadors and remain top-of-mind in a crowded marketplace.
- Topics include: advocacy, storytelling, social media, volunteer recruitment/management, national campaigns, branding, and more.
Development – Designed to help organizations grow and diversify sustainable revenue streams through expert advice, training and insights, as well as case studies and best practices from successful Meals on Wheels programs.
- Topics include: individual fundraising, corporate partnerships, grant writing, collaborative fundraising, philanthropy trends, and more.
Healthcare – Designed to ready and empower organizations to take advantage of potential revenue-generating opportunities that integrate Meals on Wheels into the healthcare ecosystem.
- Topics include: collaborations and partnerships, data collection and standardization, compliance, Medicare/Medicaid, and more.
Leadership – Designed to build on the skills and knowledge of program leaders, board members and other decision-makers to support you in leading your organizations to not only be more contemporary and sustainable, but also enable your teams to adapt and thrive in an uncertain climate.
- Topics include: risk management, governance, management, culture, innovation, sustainability, financial management, and more.
Service Offerings – Designed to help organizations adapt to and thrive in a competitive marketplace by differentiating Meals on Wheels’ unique and invaluable offerings from our competitors and better defining and enhancing our value proposition.
- Topics include: nutrition, menu planning, dietary guidelines, socialization, care coordination, pet programs, in-home safety, and more.

Stay tuned for a full 2018 agenda where you see these tracks and focus areas come to life!

IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOM

We encourage all attendees to plan to arrive in Charlotte on Monday, August 27 before 1:00 p.m. EDT and stay through the afternoon of Thursday, August 30 to ensure that you don’t miss out on any of our scheduled activities.

With discounted rooms starting at just $159 per night, The Westin Charlotte offers a relaxed hotel retreat in the heart of the city's bustling uptown district. Ideally situated in the city's cultural and entertainment district, this year’s Conference location provides convenient access to a wide range of fun things to do. Our discounted group rates are available for stays between Saturday, August 25 and Saturday, September 1 if you'd like to extend your trip to Charlotte before or after the regularly scheduled Conference events.
BOOK NOW
Space is limited and our group rate will expire on July 26, 2018 if the room block hasn’t filled prior.

Keep a look out for more information on the 2018 Conference agenda and registration in April! Feel free to contact membership@mealsonwheelsamerica.org with any questions in the meantime.

WRAPPING UP ANOTHER MARCH FOR MEALS

More than 300 March for Meals celebrations are winding down this week from coast to coast, and we hope that this annual grassroots campaign has served participating programs well. As always, Community Champions Week provided the perfect platform for getting our important messages out, and we hope that it was a big success.

Here’s just a tiny snapshot of some of the great Community Champions Week activity we saw on Twitter:

TAKE THE 2018 RESULTS SURVEY NOW

We want to hear from you! If you participated in March for Meals this year, now’s the time to tally up how much funding you raised, how many Community Champions you enlisted, how many partnerships you formed and how many volunteers you recruited so we can measure our collective impact this March. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes to complete and we’ll use your valuable feedback as we plan for next year.

TAKE THE QUICK SURVEY NOW
We can’t wait to hear more about all of your great work!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Mill Race Center, Columbus, IN
Rock County Council on Aging, Janesville, WI

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

VERIFIED VOLUNTEERS ADVISES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVERSE ACTION COMPLIANCE IN VOLUNTEER SCREENING

Proper volunteer screening is a crucial part of protecting your clients and the credibility of your organization. However, just as important is your compliance to state and federal laws that prevent applicants from facing discrimination when they are disqualified from the process. Verified Volunteers shares that 90 percent of volunteer managers conduct background checks. Is your organization following proper procedures? Find out by reading the article here.

Don’t forget! Meals on Wheels America Members receive 20% off Verified Volunteers screening products designed to make background screening of volunteers faster, easier and less costly for nonprofits and volunteers themselves. Learn more at www.verifiedvolunteers.com.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU: OLDER PEOPLE PROJECTED TO OUTNUMBER CHILDREN FOR THE FIRST TIME

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, all baby boomers will be older than age 65 in 2030 – marking a turning point in our history. This will expand the size of the older population to the point that one in every five residents will be of retirement age. The change will be largely due to declining fertility, aging baby boomers and immigration patterns. These latest protections underscore the need to create sustainable solutions that will enable Meals on Wheels to continue to serve this rapidly growing population well into the future. In regard to aging:

As the population ages, the ratio of older adults to working-age adults, also known as the old-age dependency ratio, is projected to rise. By 2020, there will be about three-and-a-half working-age adults for every retirement-age person. By 2060, that ratio will fall to just two-and-a-half working-age adults for every retirement-age person.
The median age of the U.S. population is expected to grow from age 38 today to age 43 by 2060.

You can read the entire press statement about these findings here.

DON'T FORGET: NEW MEDICARE CARDS ARE COMING SOON

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be mailing new Medicare cards to Medicare beneficiaries in waves by state beginning April 2018. To help educate beneficiaries, their caregivers and other stakeholders about the new cards, CMS has updated its New Medicare Card webpage with helpful tools and resources. Visit the CMS webpage to access these resources, and share this information with the seniors you serve so they’ll be fully informed and ready to receive their new Medicare cards.
LEARN MORE

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

TIRELESS ADVOCACY AND A JOB WELL DONE:
OAA NUTRITION PROGRAMS RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING INCREASE

On March 23, after months of debate, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 was signed into law, funding government programs for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 ending September 30. This spending agreement includes a $59 million increase for Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs, among other positive investments supporting seniors, ending months of federal funding uncertainty for your programs and the millions of vulnerable seniors you serve every day.

Our network has advocated for many of the provisions included in this legislation over the past year, through #SaveLunch and its paper plate campaign, sign-on letters, hundreds of meal deliveries, outreach to the press, thousands of emails, social media posts and more. Congress' inclusion of these items in this legislation is a true testament to all of your hard work and persistence. The FY 2018 appropriations process has been long, demanding and unpredictable, but throughout it all, our network has risen to the occasion and beyond. Your programs have tirelessly advocated for increased funding and rallied your own networks to join the call, and this final FY 2018 appropriations bill is reflective of that dedication.

While we're still far from the total funding levels needed to fully close the gap between seniors in need of services and seniors served, the OAA funding increases and protection of the block grants within this bill mark a positive step in the right direction. We thank you for your continuous advocacy, and we'll keep up the work together to build on this momentum going into FY 2019!

For more on this legislation and its impact on your program and services, read our joint press statement with National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP) here and one of our recent Washington Updates here.

MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA’S #SAVELUNCH TAKES TOP HONORS AT ASSOCIATION TRENDS AWARDS

Meals on Wheels America was recently honored with several awards in the Association TRENDS’ 2017 All Media Contest. The annual competition is held exclusively for associations, recognizing the most creative and effective communications developed in the industry over the prior year. The 2017 contest judged hundreds of entries across 23 categories of association communications, and we took home two awards for our recent #SaveLunch advocacy campaign designed to put pressure on Congress to ensure no senior is forgotten this appropriations season.

Category: CD, VIDEO, PODCAST, OR PSA
GOLD: #SaveLunch PSA

Category: BEST ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
BRONZE: #SaveLunch Campaign

In addition, the #SaveLunch PSA – starring Carol, a real Meals on Wheels client from Meals on Wheels Lehigh Valley in Allentown, PA – received the coveted Publisher’s Choice Award as the top entry from all 23 categories. The full video was played at the 39th Annual Salute to Association Excellence awards reception in Washington, DC, and if the applause that followed served as an indication, the audience walked away with a better appreciation of the impact your programs have on the lives of the seniors you serve day in and day out.

Thanks to our incredibly generous and talented pro bono agency team at Anomaly, who not only dedicates time and resources to support “America, Let’s Do Lunch,” but also stepped up to conceptualize and produce our #SaveLunch campaign and this stunning vignette.

MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES & BENEFITS

LEARN HOW YOU CAN JOIN MEMBERS IN SAVING BIG ON EVERYTHING NEEDED TO RUN YOUR PROGRAM

Are you looking to cut costs for your organization? Hundreds of your fellow Members are already taking advantage of our Member Discount Program, and on average, they are realizing savings of 10% on their expenditures!

TOGETHER, WE SAVE

You can leverage the buying power of the nationwide Meals on Wheels network to provide significant savings for your organization through partnerships with a full range of select providers. Our negotiated discounts deliver real cost savings on the products and services you need most, such as food service, vehicles, office supplies, payroll services, insurance, background checks, telecommunications and much more.

To learn more, check out the recording of our March 13 webinar that features representatives from two of our most popular Member Discount Program partners – US Foods and GM – about the valuable discounts they offer Members. You will also hear from a fellow Member about their experience and results from participating, along with some helpful advice on how you can save, too.

LISTEN NOW

GET STARTED TODAY

Log on to Member Central to visit the Discount Program section under RESOURCES and learn more about all of our select providers. You can even sign up for a free savings analysis to see how much your program could save! Contact our Member Relations Manager, Doyle Delph, at 571-339-1616 or doyle@mealsonwheelsamerica.org with questions or to get started.

2018 MEALS ON WHEELS LOVES PETS GRANTS: LAUNCH DATE AND NEW INCENTIVE ANNOUNCED

Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grants are designed to support Members with their existing pet programs or help them start new ones. For the 11^th year, we will be providing need-based awards of up to $2,500 to eligible Member programs, thanks to funding from Banfield Charitable Trust.

NEW THIS YEAR

In an effort to encourage sustainability, Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grants will match funds raised up to $2,500 for applicants with pet assistance programs that have been in existence for longer than one year. The funds need to have been raised between January 1, 2018 through the time that you submit your application. Funds raised can take many forms, including in-kind pet food donations, vet services, volunteer hours, donated gas gift-cards, etc. Existing programs who do not have fundraising amounts will not receive a pets grants. Register now for a free webinar on Thursday, April 12 to learn more about these changes.
REGISTER NOW

The applications period for the 2018 grant cycle will open Friday, May 4

Funding can be used for:

Pet food purchases, including prescription diet foods and treats
Cat litter and other pet supplies
Grooming
Veterinary care, including medications, flea and tick preventive, spay/neuter, etc.
Temporary boarding expenses
Pet food storage rental
Food storage bins and storage bags
Gas grants for volunteers to deliver pet food

Only Meals on Wheels America Member programs in good standing throughout the grant review period are eligible to apply for and receive a 2018 Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant. We encourage you to reach out to the Pet Advisory Council if you’d like some guidance on applying.

PET RESOURCE LIBRARY

Whether you want to expand your existing pet program or are looking to start a new one, it can be helpful to see what other Members have done to successfully support their pet programs. The Meals on Wheels Loves Pets Member Advisory Council has gathered a variety of sample resources and collateral examples from Member programs across the country and organized them into one easy-to-reference library to help provide direction for your efforts. Access the library in Member Central to explore resources and examples of pet program brochures, budget tracking templates, community partnership guides and more to jumpstart the creative thinking for your program.

Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming grant cycle!

KEYS TO SUCCESS FROM THE MEALS ON WHEELS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

TOPIC OF THE MONTH: GAINING FOCUS FOR SPRING AND BEYOND

“We’re so busy doing our jobs,” writes best-selling business author Seth Godin, “that we can’t get any work done.” In this case, we mean the deep work of taking a look at your program from the 10,000 foot perspective, from an evaluative or strategic perspective from a visionary perspective. Spring is traditionally a time of renewal. It’s also a great time to revisit your focus.

How often do you plan time for introspection? When is the last time you looked at your organizational practices? Are you getting a return on investment? If you are not getting a return on investment it might be time to rethink your strategy. How is that strategic plan coming along, by the way? Are you achieving your goals? Where do you want your program to grow? More money or more variety in meal offerings? Stop, sit down and think with the help of the articles below.

Meals on Wheels America is welcoming spring with a refresh of our own – the new chapter of "America, Let’s Do Lunch." In the spirit of the recent launch, check out this three-part series, which will prepare your program for a potential wave of volunteers:

Enhancing the Volunteer Lifecycle, Part 1: Developing Position Descriptions

Enhancing the Volunteer Lifecycle, Part 2: Recruiting & Onboarding

Enhancing the Volunteer Lifecycle, Part 3: Engaging Volunteers for Impact & Success

STAY CONNECTED

It's easy to engage with the Meals on Wheels Leadership Academy outside of the virtual classroom! Simply join our Linkedin Discussion Group and/or follow @MOWAcademy on Twitter.

YOUR LEARNING TEAM

We're here to ensure you're getting the most out of the learning opportunities offered by Meals on Wheels America! If you have questions or suggestions about learning events, feel free to contact academy@mealsonwheelsamerica.org or reach out directly using the contact information below.

Magda Hagerman-Apol

Magda Hageman-Apol
Vice President, Education and Training
magda@mealsonwheelsamerica.org

Sharron Corle

Sharron Corle
Professional Development Director
sharron@mealsonwheelsamerica.org

Sammi Heffron

Sammi Heffron
Education and Training Administrator
sammi@mealsonwheelsamerica.org

RETHINKING VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION – WEBINAR, APRIL 10

Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month? For many Meals on Wheels programs, volunteers are the heart of the organization, so it is important to celebrate and recognize the individuals who commit to changing lives. Every volunteer desires and deserves to be acknowledged for their hard work and dedication. But, how do we recognize people in a way that is meaningful to them? Join Meals on Wheels America and Barry Altland from Head, Hearts and Hands Engagement Collective on Tuesday, April 10 at 3:30 EDT to reach beyond the traditional recognition practices that have long been used by organizations and discover more significant methods for honoring the time and talents offered by volunteers. After all, meaningful recognition is just like engagement; it happens one person at a time.

In this webinar you will:

Define and contrast the concepts of appreciation, recognition, reward and incentive;
Discover a new Feedback model;
Determine the appropriate strategy for your organization to create a lower investment/higher return on your acknowledgement efforts; and
Link the insights gained from a discovery conversation with a volunteer to the most appropriate way to recognize them for their time and talent investment.

WEBINAR: Rethinking Volunteer Recognition
PRESENTER: Barry Altland, Creator of Head, Hearts and Hands Engagement Collective
WHEN: Tuesday, April 10, 2018
TIME: 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT
FEE: FREE
REGISTER NOW

HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO SERVE MORE CLIENTS AND RAISE MORE MONEY – WEBINAR, APRIL 26

Are you leaving client service opportunities and even money on the table? It’s possible for Meals on Wheels programs to expand capacity and increase giving by reframing their approach to volunteer and donor engagement. Join Meals on Wheels America on Thursday, April 26 to discover the “abundance" model for stakeholder involvement presented by Elisa Kosarin of TwentyHats. This proven model treats all donations – volunteer, financial and in-kind –as the basis for continued relationship-building and greater giving. Programs of all sizes will learn practical next steps for implementing this model, even when faced with staffing and budget constraints. Creating mission-focused volunteer roles that attract busy professionals and appeal to donors will also be a focus.