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National Research
Study reveals extent of Senior Hunger in
America…Harrah's, Meals On Wheels urge
corporate response to help solve problem
Hunger
is a serious threat facing million of
seniors in the United States, according to a
groundbreaking national research study
underwritten by the Harrah's Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of Harrah's Entertainment,
Inc.
The study, released today by Harrah's and the Meals on Wheels
Association Of America (MOWAA) Foundation,
concludes that more than 5 million Americans
-- 11.4 percent of all seniors -- face the
threat of hunger.
Seniors most likely to be
at-risk are those with limited incomes,
African Americans, Hispanics, the unmarried,
renters, persons under age 70 and persons
living in the South.
"I challenge my colleagues in corporate America to join
Harrah's by taking a leadership role in the
Corporate Response to Senior Hunger program
developed by Meals on Wheels," said Jan
Jones, Harrah's senior vice president of
communications and government affairs, in
testimony prepared for the U.S. Senate's
Special Committee on Aging.
"Together, we can help by making food products more readily
available to meal providers, encouraging
improvements to the meal delivery system,
offering skills and experience to meal
providers and advocating for them before
policymakers," she said.
The study -- entitled "The Causes, Consequences and Future of
Senior Hunger in America" -- was
commissioned by MOWAA and conducted by James
Ziliak, Ph.D., director of the Center for
Poverty Research of the University of
Kentucky and Craig Gundersen, Ph.D., of the
Department of Human Development and Family
Studies at Iowa State University.
They were
assisted by Margaret Haist, Ph.D., senior
researcher at the University of Kentucky.
According to MOWAA, the study is the most comprehensive
national research study to date to look at
senior hunger in the United States.
Since 2002, Harrah's has been the largest corporate sponsor
of MOWAA, contributing $5 million and more
than 30 meal-deliver trucks to MOWAA
programs across the country.
Harrah's underwrote the hunger study through the Harrah's
Foundation as part of the company's Code of
Commitment, which establishes the principals
used by Harrah's in its relationships with
its employees, customers and communities.
"Seniors are a focus of our philanthropic giving because,
frankly, the needs of our growing senior
population have too often been ignored by
corporate America," Jones told the Senate
panel.
"The Harrah's Foundation has focused on the needs of our
seniors since its inception."
"We are pleased that the MOWAA-commissioned research provides
a better understanding of the extent of
senior hunger," Jones said.
"What excites us most is that it will help in the development
and implementation of targeted, fact-based
interventions that can increase the
effectiveness of both private sector and
public sector efforts to reduce senior
hunger."
The study found that:
-- Poor seniors are more likely to be at risk, but half of
all at-risk seniors have incomes above the
federal poverty line;
-- More than two-thirds of all hungry seniors are white.
-- Being divorced, separated or never married is a risk
factor; being married reduces risk by 20
percent.
-- Seniors living with a grandchild are 50 percent more
likely to be at-risk of hunger than those
who don't.
-- Seniors most at risk are in the 60-64 age group. An
84-year-old is more than one-third less
likely to be at-risk of hunger than a
64-year-old.
The Harrah's Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation
established to provide financial support to
qualified organizations in communities where
Harrah's employees live and work. Created in
2002, the Harrah's Foundation is funded by
Harrah's Entertainment properties and
supports social reinvestment programs by
funding eligible 501(c)(3) organizations
dedicated to seniors, education and civic
programs.
Since its formation, the Harrah's Foundation has committed
nearly $63 million to nonprofit
organizations throughout the United States.
More information is available at
http://www.harrahscommunityrelations.com/.
Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider
of branded casino entertainment. Since its
beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70
years ago, Harrah's has grown through
development of new properties, expansions
and acquisitions, and now owns or manages
casinos on four continents.
The Company's properties operate primarily under the
Harrah's(R), Caesars(R) and Horseshoe(R)
brand names; Harrah's also owns the London
Clubs International family of casinos and
the World Series of Poker(R).
Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and
value with its customers through a unique
combination of great service, excellent
products, unsurpassed distribution,
operational excellence and technology
leadership.
For more information, please visit
http://www.harrahs.com/.
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