KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lee's Summit Mayor Bill Baird joined Meals on Wheels in preparing and delivering meals in honor of the 2026 March for Meals celebration.
Across the country in March, Meals on Wheels programs enlist elected officials, local celebrities and other prominent figures to deliver meals, speak out for seniors and raise awareness.
Baird proclaimed March as March for Meals Month in Lee’s Summit, emphasizing the program provides healthy meals and connection.
“For some people who don’t get the social interaction they need, these volunteers start getting close to the people they deliver meals to, and it’s almost like family — a wonderful thing,” Baird said.
The mayor added that although Lee’s Summit is often viewed as affluent, Meals on Wheels delivers 130 to 140 meals every day in the city.
“Every day, we feel so blessed that our volunteers and the café staff at Lee’s Summit Medical Center work hard to deliver quality meals to seniors and people with disabilities in Lee’s Summit,” said Susie Newsam, board president of Meals on Wheels of Lee’s Summit.
Baird and Newsam said there is always a need for volunteers to help pack and deliver meals, and donations of all sizes help keep the program running.
The annual March for Meals commemorates the day in March 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed into law a measure amending the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a national nutrition program for adults 60 and older.
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