LEWISTON — SeniorsPlus, the designated Agency on Aging for Western Maine, will hold a breakfast to benefit its Meals On Wheels nutrition program. The Fill the Plate Breakfast will be held from 7 to 9 a.m. Friday, March 20, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn.

The breakfast will also honor local physician Dr. Alan Verrill with the Ikaria Award for singular and outstanding contributions toward improving the lives of older adults. Tickets are $20 per person ($25 at the door) and are available at www.seniorsplus.org or by calling 207 795-4010. Sponsorship opportunities are also available on the website.

The breakfast is presented in conjunction with March For Meals, a national campaign of the Meals On Wheels Association of America.

Last year, SeniorsPlus delivered 98,600 meals to more than 1,200 homebound older adults and adults with disabilities in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties through its Meals On Wheels program. Almost 600 volunteers donate more than 28,000 hours to the program annually. Each meal provides one-third of the recommended daily allowance of nutrition, a safety check and a visit to these vulnerable adults. The majority of the consumers of Meals On Wheels are lower income, on fixed income or MaineCare.

“We struggle to keep up with the demand for Meals On Wheels and continually have a waiting list for the program,” said Betsy Sawyer-Manter, executive director of SeniorsPlus. “We seek funding through this event to keep the waiting lists to a minimum and to help fund the program.”

The overall program goal of SeniorsPlus is to assist older adults and adults with disabilities in our tri-county area to remain at home safely for as long as possible.

Dr. Verrill is an internist affiliated with Central Maine Healthcare who is a frequent contributor to education programming at SeniorsPlus that engages more than 1,000 people annually.

“Alan Verrill donates his time regularly to the education program at SeniorsPlus – often presenting classes as part of our Healthy Aging Series,” said Sawyer-Manter. “He is a joy to work with and has a huge fan base.”

Ikaria is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It is considered one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” – places where an estimated one in three members of the population regularly lives an active life into their 90s.

The mission of SeniorsPlus is “to enrich the lives of seniors and adults with disabilities.” SeniorsPlus believes in supporting the independence, dignity and quality of life of those it serves. Established in 1972, SeniorsPlus covers Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties and serves more than 10,000 individuals annually. The agency focuses on older adults, adults with disabilities, and families and offers a network of support, including information and assistance, short-term care management, Medicare counseling, caregiver support and respite, health and wellness education, Options Counseling, and Meals On Wheels and congregate dining.