MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI INC

HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI'S HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM IS THE ONLY NONPROFIT HOME-DELIVERED PROGRAM IN RHODE ISLAND THAT OFFERS STATEWIDE SERVICE OF FULLY PREPARED MEALS, WHICH MEET ONE-THIRD OF A SENIOR'S DAILY DIETARY ALLOWANCE, ALONG WITH A SAFETY-ASSURING WELL-BEING CHECK. IN 2023, THIS PROGRAM DELIVERED 363,390 MEALS. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS SERVICE TO THOSE AGED 60 OR OLDER OR THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER AND QUALIFIED THROUGH A STATE-FUNDED PROGRAM, WHO ARE HOMEBOUND AND UNABLE TO SAFELY PREPARE MEALS FOR THEMSELVES DUE TO PHYSICAL AND/OR PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. QUALIFIED PARTICIPANTS CAN RECEIVE MEALS FIVE DAYS PER WEEK AND ONE LUNCHTIME MEAL PER WEEKDAY THAT MEETS NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS AS SET BY THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT. MENUS ARE DEVELOPED BY A REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST AND ADAPTED TO MEET APPLICABLE CLIENT PREFERENCES. CLIENT ELIGIBILITY IS VERIFIED THROUGH THE REFERRAL PROCESS. A POTENTIAL CLIENT, FAMILY MEMBER, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL OR ANOTHER INVESTED PARTY WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE POTENTIAL CLIENT'S HEALTH CAN MAKE A REFERRAL BY PHONE OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. UPON CONFIRMATION THAT THE POTENTIAL CLIENT MEETS PROGRAM CRITERIA, THEY ARE ENROLLED INTO THE PROGRAM. CLIENT INFORMATION, NUTRITIONAL NEEDS AND PREFERENCES, NUMBER OF MEALS RECEIVED, AND OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED TO MEET REPORTING GUIDELINES, IS MAINTAINED IN THE SERVTRACKER DATABASE.THE MEALS ARE PREPARED AND PACKAGED BY THE CONTRACTED CATERER BEFORE BEING DROPPED OFF AT 21 STATEWIDE LOCATIONS - MEAL DISPATCH SITES - WHERE A DEDICATED SPACE HAS BEEN DONATED. TRAINED DRIVERS PICK UP THE MEALS FROM THAT SPACE AND DELIVER TO THE HOMES OF RECIPIENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. MEALS ARE DELIVERED IN A CHILLED STATE SO THAT THE CLIENT CAN REHEAT, BY MICROWAVE OR CONVENTIONAL OVEN, AT THE TIME OF DAY THEY PREFER TO EAT. THERE IS NO CHARGE OR FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION; A VOLUNTARY SUGGESTED DONATION OF $3.00 PER MEAL IS REQUESTED FROM CLIENTS. INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR EACH CLIENT IN THE CASE THAT SOMEONE DOES NOT ANSWER THE DOOR FOR THEIR MEAL DELIVERY. DEPENDENT ON THE CLIENT, DELIVERY DRIVERS MAY CALL THE CLIENT DIRECTLY OR CALL THE PROVIDENCE HEADQUARTERS. IF THE CLIENT IS NOT REACHABLE VIA PHONE, OFFICE STAFF WILL CALL THE CLIENT'S EMERGENCY CONTACT. IN THE CASE THAT THE EMERGENCY CONTACT IS NOT REACHABLE, OFFICE STAFF WILL CONTACT LOCAL POLICE TO DO A WELLNESS CHECK. RESEARCH BY MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA REPORTS THAT OLDER ADULTS WHO RECEIVE A HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM SERVICE ARE MORE LIKELY TO REPORT IMPROVEMENTS IN PHYSICAL HEALTH AS WELL AS IN FEELINGS OF LONELINESS, TO EXPERIENCE REDUCED RATES OF FALLS AND WORRIES ABOUT BEING ABLE TO REMAIN LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOMES. MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA ALSO REPORTS THAT SENIORS CAN BENEFIT FROM REDUCED EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS WITHIN JUST 30 DAYS OF STARTING A HOME-DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM. OUR APPROACH IS ALSO COST-EFFECTIVE: MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI CAN DELIVER A YEAR'S WORTH OF MEALS TO A CLIENT FOR THE SAME COST AS ONE DAY IN THE HOSPITAL OR ONE WEEK IN A NURSING HOME WHICH SAVES THE STATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MEDICAID AND MEDICARE COSTS.

CONGREGATE PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI'S CAPITAL CITY CAFE AND SENIOR RESTAURANT PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED FOR MORE MOBILE SENIORS. THE R.I. OFFICE OF HEALTH AGING HAS DIVIDED THE STATE INTO FIVE REGIONS FOR CONGREGATE MEALS; THE ORGANIZATION'S CAPITAL CITY CAF PROGRAM IS THE DESIGNATED PROVIDER FOR THE PROVIDENCE REGION. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES OLDER ADULTS WHO HAVE AMBULATORY ABILITY WEEKDAY DINING AT SIX COMMUNITY LOCATIONS AND MONTHLY CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SITES FOR THE OLDER ADULT LATIN, SOUTHEAST ASIAN, AND LGBTQ COMMUNITIES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED 18,545 MEALS TO RHODE ISLAND SENIORS IN 2023.RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTS AGED 60 AND OLDER QUALIFY FOR THE CAPITAL CITY CAFE PROGRAM. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION RESULTS IN IMPROVED NUTRITION, IMPROVED SOCIALIZATION, AND ENHANCED ACCESS TO NUTRITION EDUCATION. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE ONE LUNCHTIME MEAL AT A COMMUNITY DINING SITE, OFFERED ON WEEKDAYS. PARTICIPANTS MUST COMPLETE AN ENROLLMENT FORM (PERSONAL INFORMATION FORM) PRIOR TO THEIR FIRST ATTENDANCE; THIS CAN BE COMPLETED AT THE CAFE SITE PRIOR TO MEAL SERVICE. DINING RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED. MEALS, WHICH ARE SERVED HOT, MEET NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS AS SET BY THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT. OUR CONTRACTED CATERER PREPARES THE MEALS AND DELIVERS THEM TO THE CAFE SITES ON SERVICE DAYS. TRAINED SITE MANAGERS AND VOLUNTEERS FACILITATE DAILY DINING SERVICE. THERE IS NO CHARGE OR FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, BUT CLIENTS ARE ASKED TO MAKE A VOLUNTARY SUGGESTED CONTRIBUTIONS OF $3.00 PER MEAL. IN 2023, THERE WERE SIX CAFE SITES WITHIN THE PROGRAM. THE SENIOR RESTAURANT PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ALL RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTS AGED 60 AND OLDER. PARTICIPANTS OBTAIN A VOUCHER FROM MEALS ON WHEELS OF RI, WHICH CAN BE PICKED UP FROM OUR PROVIDENCE HEADQUARTERS OR BY MAIL AND EXCHANGE IT FOR A MEAL AT A PARTICIPATING RESTAURANT. MEALS ARE PRE-SELECTED AND MEET NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS AS SET BY THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT.