6 Meals on Wheels
CITY OF
CHANIlASSEN
9 City Center Drive, PO Box 147
JJanhassen, Minnesota 55317
Phone 612.937.1900
General Fax 612.937.5739
;'zgineering Fax 612.937.9152
lIb/ic Safety Fax 612.934.2524
\f'eb Wll'll'.ci.clwzbassell. 11111. lIS
.-...,.
b
---
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
Sharmin Al-Jaff, Planner II
DATE:
July 13, 1998
SUBJ:
Meals on Wheels
It has been seven months since senior dining began. In April, staff reviewed the
progress of the program and now it is time to implement the second half of the
program dealing with Meals on Wheels. Congregate dining serves seniors that are
still mobile and can make the trip to the Senior Center. The Chanhassen CAP
Agency Senior Nutrition Site has been in operation since October 31, 1997. As of
the end of June 1998, there have been 1,898 meals served. As far as the number of
meals served per day, it is strictly related to the activity level at the Senior Center.
The ultimate goal of this program is to serve those individuals that are home bound
and cannot get to the Senior Center to receive their meal. The Senior Commission
recommended the initial phase of the program provide meals at the center only.
Once this portion of the program is perfected, the program would expand to include
the Meals on Wheels (meals delivered by volunteer drivers to the homes of seniors
who are home bound. The cost of the meal is $2.50 which is $0.25 more than a meal
served at the Senior Center.) The Lions Club donated funds to the Senior Center and
specifically to the congregate dining program to ensure the Meals on Wheels segment
is implemented. The program is in a position to implement the second phase at this
time. On June 26, 1998, the Senior Commission reviewed this item and
recommended that the Meals on Wheels service begin on August 31, 1998. At this
point, we do not expect an increase in the hours of the meal preparation.
At the present time, South Shore Senior Center serves half of Chanhassen (north of
Highway 5). They have two seniors that receive the service in the City. There is no
service provided for the area south of Highway 5. There are a number of seniors who
have requested Meals on Wheels who live south of Highway 5. Their request has
been denied because they live outside the service area for South Shore Senior Center.
In April 1998, when this item was presented to the City Council during a work
session, staffwas directed to investigate the option of having South Shore Senior
Center expand their service boundaries. This option was rejected and the only
solution available to us at this time is to provide the service ourselves. As mentioned
earlier, this has always been the ultimate goal of the program and we are in a position
to implement the second phase. Volunteer drivers are prepared to begin delivering
meals as soon as the program is in operation.
\\cfs 1 \ vo12\plan \sa\sc\cong.dine2.doc
, City ofChallhassen. A growing community with clean lakes, quality schools, a channing downtown, thriving businesses, and beautiful parks. A great place to lille, work, and play.