You asked how many meals on wheels are delivered in 13 towns (Ashford, Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Ellington, Hampton, Pomfret, Stafford, Tolland, Union, Vernon, Willington, and Woodstock), where the distribution centers are for meals in this area, and whether the distribution reaches smaller towns like Eastford, Hampton, Chaplin, and Stafford.

SUMMARY

A total of 151 homebound seniors in the 13 towns you asked about received 31,704 meals on wheels from community action agencies during FY 03-04 (which runs from October to September for these agencies). The meals originate with the Community Renewal Team in Hartford for Ellington, Stafford, Tolland, and Vernon and with the Thames Valley Council for Community Action in Bozrah for the other nine towns. They are then distributed through local meal sites that also provide meals to elderly people who are able to come to designated centralized sites such as senior centers or elderly housing complexes. The services are available in the smaller towns of Eastford, Hampton, Chaplin, and Stafford which you particularly asked about, although there were no clients in Hampton, Tolland, or Union during the past fiscal year.

MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAMS

“Meals on wheels” is an informal term for programs that deliver meals to homebound elderly people, ages 60 and older who cannot prepare their own meals or travel to local (mainly federally funded) congregate meal sites at senior centers, elderly housing locations, churches, or other places. The programs usually deliver one hot meal at noon on weekdays and, depending on the person’s needs, a cold meal for the evening. Some provide meals for weekends and holidays.

The programs are usually run by community action agencies and funding is provided by federal Older Americans Act money, some state money, and donations. The money is funneled through the Department of Social Services to the five area agencies on aging in the state, which distribute grants to the community action agencies. Such programs have a “suggested donation” for the client, usually around $ 2 per meal, but also make provisions for people who cannot pay.

People who need these services can also call the area agencies on aging at their central toll-free number 1-800-992-9422 or the statewide 211 Infoline number for additional information.

MEAL DISTRIBUTION IN 13 TOWNS

The following towns are served by the Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA) through contracts with the Eastern Area Agency on Aging: Ashford, Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Hampton, Pomfret, Union, Vernon, Willington, and Woodstock. TVCCA (81 Stockhouse Road, Bozrah, CT 06334, 885-2745 or 1-800-953-1365) distributes the meals on wheels program there through the elderly congregate meal sites at senior centers. Meals are distributed through senior centers in Willington, Coventry, Willimantic, Brooklyn, and Putnam. The meals on wheels distribution does extend to the smaller towns you asked about, although there were no clients this past fiscal year in Hampton and Union.

The towns of Ellington, Stafford, Tolland and Vernon are in the North Central Area Agency on Aging’s territory and receive their meals on wheels from the kitchens at the Community Renewal Team (555, Windsor Street in Hartford (860) 560-5828), again through their local elderly congregate meal sites. Tolland, however, had no meals on wheels clients during FY 03-04.

Table 1 shows the number of meals for FY 03-04 (October 1 to September 30) provided by the TVCCA and the Community Renewal Team in the towns you asked about. Other entities, including hospitals and visiting nurse associations, may also provide such services, as they do in other parts of the state, but we currently have no specific information on them.

Table 1: Meals on Wheels Delivered: 13 Towns

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