Last month, Airdrie Meals on Wheels (AMOW) received their largest donation, $100,000.
The donation is from the Cal Wenzel Family Foundation (Shane Homes) for their 45th-anniversary celebrations. They donated $100,000 or more to different organizations for a total of $4.5 million. Airdrie Meals on Wheels, which provides affordable, nutritious meals to seniors and homebound individuals, was selected after submitting a successful application.
Megan Ellahi, Client Liaison for AMOW, discovered the opportunity through social media and diligently filled out the necessary application not expecting to get picked, she couldn't believe it when she received an email saying AMOW had been selected.
"I quickly told our president about it, but she didn't believe me either. It was around 10 times more than any donation we've ever received before. So it was pretty surreal."
According to Ellahi, all the donated funds will be used to create and provide meals for those who need them. Lois Jones, Media & Public Relations for AMOW, expressed her gratitude for the donation.
"We honestly just can't say thank you enough. Shane Homes is an integral part of Airdrie as they have lots of homes going up in Midtown. They realized that it's important to invest in all communities that they partake in."
On October 17th members of the AMOW board met with Cal Wenzel, the founder of Shane Homes and Chief Visionary Officer, to convey their appreciation personally.
"We are privileged to have served the Calgary and area communities for 45 years," said Cal Wenzel in a press release. "We believe in giving back, and what better way to commemorate this occasion than by supporting organizations making a difference in our community"
Airdrie Meals on Wheels has undergone several important changes this year, such as switching to a new food supplier and attempting to recruit and keep volunteers. They are prepared to accept new customers and attend to their demands as long as there is a consistent demand for their services.
Just last week AMOL was one of three organizations to receive a $5,500 donation from Propak. They are currently preparing for a busy winter as when the snow hits, they receive a lot more calls from those that need meals.
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