Help Us Fill the Plate
The Rural Gap
Rural communities are home to a higher proportion of older residents, but have fewer services including healthcare, housing, transportation, nutrition and social services.
- The rural population is aging more rapidly than in urban areas with 17.5% of rural populations being age 65+, compared to 13.8% of urban populations.
- Individuals living alone in a household made up the next largest share, accounting for 22.3% of those in rural areas and 27.6% in urban areas.
LOA’s goal is to fill that gap to ensure rural seniors receive the services they need to live independently for as long as possible.
Meet LOA Client Steve
Meet LOA Client Steve“I can’t say enough good things about the ladies who bring my meals…”
“I’ve never been one to sit around,” says 69-yearold Navy veteran Steve Walker. He stays active by manually trimming the grass in front of the cabin-style home he rents in Fincastle. Even though Steve is diabetic, survived colon cancer, and had hip replacement surgery just one year ago, he tries to keep moving.
“I used to love to cook, and my momma was the best cook, real country cookin’.” Steve receives Meals on Wheels from LOA bi-weekly in the form of pre-cooked frozen meals. Frozen meals are provided in remote areas where daily delivery is difficult. Two volunteers deliver every other Wednesday. They help him organize his freezer to make sure all the meals will fit. He says they are wonderful and make sure he has the food he needs for two weeks.
Steve counts on LOA’s Vital Transportation Services for his appointments at the V.A. Hospital in Salem and occasionally for grocery shopping. “It’s real helpful knowing I can get a ride there or to the store. They pick me up at my front door and drop me off at the front door of the V.A..”
He remembers his father also received Meals on Wheels from LOA in the 70’s. “I can’t say enough good things about the ladies who bring my meals, and Jack (LOA Transportation Manager)”. For rural seniors like Steve, home-delivered meals and transportation are two critical services that enable them to continue to live on their own.
Your gift provides services seniors can count on
Transportation
“The drivers are very caring and professional, they are very dependable. One less thing I have to worry about."
LOA provided 8,836 one-way trips for seniors in 2025.
Diners Clubs
“When my husband died, the days got very long and trying to fill them was not easy. I was asked to come to Diners Club, we have speakers, learn about our health and nutrition."
9,989 Congregate Meals were served at LOA Diners Clubs last year.
Meals on Wheels
“I just can’t tell you how much these meals mean to me. I often run out of meals and I’m not able to cook. Not just the food but having someone to check on me."
LOA delivered 95,721 meals this past year.
And more!
Your gift to LOA will Help Us Fill The Plate of services that provide vital connections, and help our older neighbors live with dignity and health.