Most of us, if we pause for a moment, can recognize how much we have been given — not only materially, but in quieter ways: the chance to build a life, to care for others, and to take part in a community that may steady the world for someone else.

We are now roughly halfway through this Lenten season of reflection — a good time to pause and take stock. Midpoints tend to invite questions: How are we doing? What have we learned? Where are we being called next?

Because of you, thousands of homebound seniors across Los Angeles County are able to remain safely in their homes, supported by medically tailored meals and the human connection that accompanies each delivery.

We’re delighted to welcome Brooke Rosell, MS, RD, to St. Vincent Meals on Wheels as our new Registered Dietitian.

At St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, we see how closely nutrition and well-being are connected. Many of the seniors we serve live with conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, where a properly balanced meal becomes an essential part of daily care.

This week marks the beginning of Lent — a season traditionally associated with reflection, renewal, and the quiet opportunity to consider how we move through the world and how we show up for others.

Recently, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels received a check for 16 cents. 16 cents. A small amount, yet accompanied by words that carried extraordinary meaning.

Los Angeles County is changing. By 2030, nearly 2.5 million residents will be aged 60 and older. Across California, millions of seniors are projected to struggle with everyday self-care tasks — including something as fundamental as preparing a meal.

Last Wednesday, February 4, our kitchen was filled with a rare kind of energy — the kind that comes when generosity, purpose, and community come together.

There is a kind of hunger that is not always visible. It lives in the quiet of a nondescript hallways of an apartment building on a crowded city street.