Senior nutrition centers in Pauls Valley, Lindsay and Stratford will continue operations with a few changes as the Southern Oklahoma Development Authority and local governments continue to figure out more permanent plans.
SODA’s Area Agency on Aging funds 13 senior nutrition sites, including Pauls Valley, Lindsay and Stratford, through the federal Title III Elderly Nutrition Program authorized under the Older Americans Act. SODA’s contract with the Southern Oklahoma Nutrition Program to provide services at these centers as well as delivery services throughout the 10-county area ended Tuesday.
SODA is working with the city governments that own the senior center buildings to continue services.
A public meeting was held Monday at the Pauls Valley Senior Center to communicate plans and answer questions about the changes in various senior nutrition services.
Delivery services, where seniors receive two weeks‘ worth of meals, will now receive those meals from Mom’s Meals. SONP provided shelf-stable food, but Mom’s Meals will be pre-prepared, refrigerated meals. Delivery of these meals began Wednesday.
Congregate meals at the senior centers will continue, with SODA assuming direct management of the centers. There will be a transition period of up to 60 days as long-term arrangements are finalized. SODA is looking for new subcontractors and finalizing the hiring of the current kitchen staff who are willing to continue working.
During the 60-day transition period, SODA will provide pre-prepared meals to be warmed and served at the senior centers. However, local center entities have stepped up to provide hot meals for some or all of this time.
The Pauls Valley Center will continue serving cooked on-site hot meals from the supplies on hand until they run out. Bonnie Meisel, director of the Samaritan of Pauls Valley Food Pantry, has also arranged to donate food to extend the number of days with a hot meal.
The Lindsay Senior Center will continue to serve cooked-on-site, hot meals throughout the transition period, as the Lindsay City Council approved covering the costs for those meals during the 60-day transition period.
The Stratford Senior Center, which received hot meals cooked at the Pauls Valley Senior Center, will receive the pre-prepared meals during the transition time. Once new contracts are in place, Stratford will be given the hot meals again.
To-go meals, where seniors receive a single to-go meal delivered to their door from the congregate site, are the program with the most change. The program began during the pandemic and then continued. During the 60-day transition period, SODA will not be providing the hot to-go meals. These seniors will receive food from Mom’s Meals.
“When we have a contract, and we’re serving hot meals again, we hope to bring back the to-go option,” said AAA Director Joye Angel during Monday’s meeting.
Independently-run nutrition sites in Garvin County may receive funding from SODA through a state program, the Community Expansion of Nutrition Assistance, and will not be affected by these changes. These unaffected sites are Antioch, Maysville, Paoli, Wynnewood and Elmore City.