April 24, 2008

Meals On Wheels ends in Adams County

Residents in Ritzville and Adams County will have a different type of home-delivered meals after this week through Aging and Adult Care of Central Washington (AACCW).

“We’re changing the way we provide home delivered meals in Adams County,” Rick Einar, Director of Management Services, said.

AACCW is responsible for providing nutritious meals to senior citizens in Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Lincoln and Okanogan Counties, including home delivered and congregate meals.

The senior centers in Lind and Ritzville will continue serving meals during the week – Monday through Thursday in Ritzville and Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Lind.

“We’re doing everything we can to keep the congregate meals like they always have been… We have no intentions of changing the congregate meals in Lind and Ritzville,” Einar explained.

Until January of 2007, AACCW contracted with a service in Moses Lake to deliver meals through the Meals On Wheels program. The contract was terminated at that time, and AACCW has been serving Ritzville and Lind directly through meals provided from the senior center kitchen.

AACCW is now contracting with Mom’s Meals, and the Meals On Wheels program is no longer available in Adams County.

“The Aging and Adult Care Council of Governments approved this as an option for us. We were first in the state to contract with Mom’s Meals,” Einar said. “It’s a way we can keep the service going in Ritzville and the rural region of Adams County.”

Pierce County has since signed up with Mom’s Meals, which features about 30 different meals to choose from.

Customers pick 14 meals from menus that are sent to home delivery customers. Meals are sent in two week intervals via FedEx or UPS. Meals are guaranteed fresh for two weeks using special equipment that removes all but about one percent of oxygen in the container. Meals are shipped in insulated containers that ensure fresh meals.

“Clients now have a choice. They can order off a menu. The meals are elder- and diabetic-friendly, and some are even ethnic friendly, which wasn’t available before.”

More information about Mom’s Meals is available at http://www.momsmeals.com.

Existing Meals On Wheels customers should have received letters explaining the changes on Tuesday. Anyone 60 years of age or older and homebound in Adams County may sign up to receive Mom’s Meals by contacting Kathy Wright at AACCW at (800) 572-4459.