60 Years of the Older Americans Act

This May, during Older Americans Month, we’re proud to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Older Americans Act (OAA) — a landmark law that has strengthened communities by funding essential programs for older adults and family caregivers.

For six decades, the OAA has helped ensure that older adults can access meals, caregiver support, transportation, and community-based services that promote independence and well-being. Many nonprofit organizations, including Open Arms, directly benefit from this critical work, allowing us to better serve older adults and their families.

At Open Arms, we see the power of this legislation every day. Thanks to the support of the OAA, we’re able to deliver nourishing, medically tailored meals to older adults living with critical illnesses. In fact, two-thirds of the clients we serve are aged 60 and older.

“I feel blessed and cared for. Knowing I can count on my food deliveries relieves anxiety about having to arrange shopping, cooking, etc. and lets me focus on the other things I need to do to take care of myself, deal with my conditions, and make better food choices, which helps me to follow my plan.” A senior client of Open Arms

With major threats to funding of the OAA looming, we’re proud to join the “60 for 60” campaign, an important call to action to support older adults and protect this vital legislation today and in the future. 

Here’s how you can help:

• Contact your members of Congress and share one to two sentences about how the OAA supports organizations like Open Arms and strengthens your community. You can find sample language HERE courtesy of our friends at Trellis. 
• Make a gift in honor of 60 years and help ensure we can continue delivering medically tailored meals to our older neighbors in need.

https://www.openarmsmn.org/donate/

Thank you for being a part of this movement. With your voice and generosity, we can make sure the Older Americans Act continues to nourish, protect, and empower the lives of the clients we serve.