Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Florida ranks second in the United States for the highest percentage of residents age 65 or older, according to the Administration for Community Living’s 2023 Profile of Older Americans. According to the Community Foundation of Broward’s “Silver Tsunami” report, Broward County has the state’s fastest growing population of seniors and many of these residents live at or near the poverty level, unable to access healthy foods and often suffering from debilitating loneliness.
John Offerdahl with 101-year-old, Miriam Schwartz
Offerdahl and his wife, Lynn, have been touched by this critical community need and are working to make a difference through their Hand-Off Meals for Seniors program, which provides more than 5,000 freshly prepared, restaurant quality meals every week to more than 500 homebound seniors across Broward County.
Delivering those meals, however, requires a robust team of volunteers. Therefore, the Offerdahls are launching a campaign this week with the goal to recruit at least 125 new delivery drivers by the end of 2025. Each driver is asked to donate only one hour a week to this effort to fight senior hunger and isolation. Signing up is easy through the nonprofit’s website at HANDOFFMEALS.COM or contact Delivery@HandOffMeals.com. Watch John and Lynn Offerdahl talk about how it takes a team, like in football, to meet this critical need in Broward County.
John Offerdahl with Barbara “Beej” Mundy, 93
“Too many seniors in Broward County go to bed hungry, wake up hungry, and spend their days hungry,” says former Miami Dolphins linebacker John Offerdahl. “This is unacceptable. That’s why my wife, Lynn, and I have launched the Hand-Off food delivery campaign.”
The Hand-Off Meals for Seniors program, in partnership with the Area Agency on Aging Broward County, offers seniors fresh and nutritious meals prepared from Offerdahl’s Off-The-Grill and other partnering restaurants. Each meal meets strict dietitian-approved nutritional standards and provides a delicious alternative to traditional frozen and heavily processed meals often provided to seniors.
Barbara Mundy with her Hand-Off driver, Donna Brunetti
Volunteer drivers are paired with the same seniors weekly, building lasting bonds and offering friendly check-ins. Drivers are matched with seniors and pick up locations convenient to their homes on days and times that work best with their individual schedules.
“These visits feed the body and the soul,” added Lynn, who personally delivers meals to two seniors every Tuesday. “Many seniors tell us their volunteer’s visit is the highlight of their week and often the only visitor they see.”
In addition to government grants provided through the Older Americans Act, Hand-Off Meals for Seniors has received financial support from the Community Foundation of Broward, Miami Dolphins Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities, Walgreens Foundation, and the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Broward County (ADRC). The program also received a special 25-year anniversary award from The Jim Moran Foundation.
About Offerdahl’s Hand-Off Foundation
Hand-Off Meals for Seniors is a program of the Offerdahl’s Hand-Off Foundation, which since its founding in 2012, has served more than one million meals across South Florida, partnering with civic, business, and faith organizations.
Founded by former Miami Dolphins linebacker John Offerdahl and his wife, Lynn, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit works to “feed the needs of those in crisis” by combining food, faith, and friendship to support vulnerable populations across South Florida. For more information, visit HandOffFoundation.org.
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