The Meals On Wheels Association of America recently released a groundbreaking study titled "Senior Hunger in the United States: Differences across States and Rural and Urban Areas." A followup to the landmark 2008 report titled "The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in America," examines senior hunger on a state-by-state level and provides substantial evidence that the number of seniors facing the threat of hunger in America is growing at an alarming rate, a spokesperson said.

In fact, senior hunger is even growing right here in West Virginia, the spokesperson said.

The findings indicate that West Virginia ranks 33rd out of America's 50 senior hunger states. To make matters worse, the rate of food insecurity among seniors living in West Virginia is 4.71 percent. West Virginia's large rural population coupled with the difficult terrain leave many seniors far from a senior nutrition program and home-delivered meal routes.

In response, Meals On Wheels programs across the country have simply taken a pledge at www.mowaa.org/pledge to join a national movement to end senior hunger by 2020.

"We are so disturbed and appalled to learn that so many seniors are going hungry in West Virginia and around the country," said Rebecca Poe, director of the Randolph County Senior Center. "At our nutrition sites, we work every day to provide our clients not only with nutritious meal, but also with companionship. Our program has pledged to join the national movement to end senior hunger by 2020 and we want everyone in Randolph County to do the same. The need is great and now more so than ever is the time for all Americans to step up to the plate."

There are two programs providing meals in Randolph County: the senior center, which offers congregate sites in Elkins, the Elkins Manor, Mill Creek and Harman; and Meals on Wheels in Harman and Mill Creek. Meals on Wheels of Randolph County provides home-delivered meals in Elkins.

This national movement comes at a good time, as the study shows that about 700,000 more seniors faced the threat of hunger in 2007 than did in 2001. Seniors residing in the South are at greatest risk.

"We released our first study a year ago and now the most recent research has found that there are 20 percent more seniors facing the threat of hunger in America. It is a travesty that in this, the richest nation on Earth, our seniors are going to bed hungry," said Enid A. Borden, president and CEO of MOWAA. "Hunger is a disease, but we have the cure to end senior hunger today. We just need the leadership and the courage to get it done."

The study, underwritten by the Harrah's Foundation, was conducted by Co-Principal Investigators Dr. James P. Ziliak, professor of economics and the director of the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky, and Dr. Craig Gundersen, associate professor at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois.