According to a report from longtime client UnitedHealthcare,
approximately 15 percent of
U.S. adults aged 60 or older — about 10 million
people — are food insecure, meaning they eat less or their eating patterns are
disrupted because of a lack of resources. The numbers in Illinois are slightly
worse and trending in the wrong direction. In the past five years, the rate of
food insecurity in our state increased from 12.5 percent to 15.3 percent. This
means nearly 1 in 6 Illinois seniors often go without and Illinois ranks below
average nationally at No. 33.
Research shows food insecurity is a strong predictor of
health problems such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, pulmonary disease,
depression and diabetes. As 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day, this is an
issue we cannot ignore.
By ensuring older adults in Illinois have access to food —
especially healthy, nutritious foods — we can help them live longer, healthier
and happier lives. Businesses, nonprofits, community groups and individuals in
Illinois must work together to fight hunger among our older citizens.
In an effort to meet this growing need, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) partnered with AARP to help provide one-million meals
to be distributed to in-need seniors throughout the Chicago-area. UHC
volunteers, along with volunteers from other supporting companies such as
Chase, worked diligently on a Saturday, rapidly filling and packing bags and boxes
full of ingredients that would make for a nutritional and filling meal.
LCWA did its part by not only participating in the filling and packing, but by securing interviews for UHC’s Rick Dunlop, CEO
of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement in Illinois, on both WGN radio and WGN-TV. In addition,
the LCWA team provided a continual stream of on-site photos for use on UHC’s
social channels.
By all measures, the event was a success and UHC and AARP
plan on holding a similar event in Washington D.C. in September as part of the
“Summer of Service for Seniors” initiative with the goal of providing 2.5
million meals this year to those in-need.
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