The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders is continuing its pledge to its homebound and vulnerable seniors to provide a nutritious meal daily as part of its extensive senior nutrition program.
“In the New Year, Ocean County will provide almost 300,000 meals to seniors,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, who serves as chairman of Senior Services. “Close to 1,100 meals are currently prepared daily and distributed to homebound seniors as well as the eight congregate meal sites located throughout our County.
“We operate one of the largest senior nutrition programs in the state and with the support of the Board of Freeholders we have awarded seven contracts to continue this program into 2018,” Vicari said. “There is no wait list in Ocean County for this program. No senior in Ocean County goes hungry.”
The Board of Freeholders today awarded seven contracts to Community Services Inc., the major meal provider in Ocean County.
The cost of the 2018 congregate meal contract is $782,173, and for home delivered/ weekend/ holiday meals it is $1,800,132. Over 295,000 total meals are projected for delivery in 2018.
As of the end of November, there was a total of 258,246 meals prepared thus far for 2017. Home delivered meals accounted for 227,551 meals delivered to the homebound and 30,695 to Congregate sites.
While the meals are currently prepared at the Community Services Inc. kitchen in Lakewood, that will change in the New Year once extensive renovations to the Ocean County Southern Service Center, Route 9, in Manahawkin, are completed.
The project is scheduled to go out to bid on Jan. 3 and the County anticipates receiving bids at the end of January. Work is expected to begin in the spring.
The work will include reconfiguring the inside of the building to provide 2,000 square feet of additional service area for the county’s senior nutrition program allowing for expanded meal preparation.
“The senior nutrition program serves as a lifeline for many of our elderly residents living alone. It helps them maintain their independence and the volunteers and drivers help provide a daily wellness check for many seniors that can no longer get around on their own,” Vicari said. “Nutrition support is a key ingredient to good health for older adults.”
Seniors in the county’s congregate nutrition program from Ocean Township south to Little Egg Harbor use the nutrition site at the Southern Service Center.
Vicari noted that socialization, recreation, educational programs and health screenings will be offered at the nutrition site.
“These programs provide great benefits for our seniors, especially those who are frail and in need,” Vicari said. “It is less expensive to provide food for one-year for a senior then it is to cover the cost of a day in an emergency room.”
The upgraded facility will include a renovated senior nutrition site that will hold over 200 people. The project includes better storage facilities, expanded administrative space for client services, and more refrigeration.
“When completed, we will see easier and better handling of food from kitchen to delivery truck to patrons,” Vicari said.
The project also includes lowering the ceiling of the facility and the installation of sprinklers – a major safety upgrade.
The lowered ceiling will make acoustics better for older adults and at the same time creates storage space to accommodate shelf stable meals and paper goods.
The shelf meals are distributed in weather emergencies or extended holidays.
“We distributed over 10,000 of them last year alone,” Vicari said. “We make every effort to assure our seniors do not miss a meal – no matter the weather.”
Jackie Rohan, Director of Senior Services, said the county’s plans will allow for the expansion of the county’s meal production capability in the south along with consolidating staff and resources to the one location.
“At the same time, this project will create a more efficient, centralized operation, with better opportunities for cost control and decreased waste, and create one production location to enhance communication for both staff and consumers,” she said.
Community Services Inc., during renovations, will continue to produce the meals for seniors at the Ocean County Northern Resource Center, Lakewood. And a smaller congregate site will continue to be operated at the Southern Service Center during the work.
“We do not expect any interruption in this service,” Vicari said. “We look forward to the changes being completed to even better serve our seniors.”
In addition to the nutrition contracts, Community Services Inc. was awarded contracts to provide over 30,800 client contacts for support services such as community outreach, benefits counseling, transportation, and general information and assistance at a cost of $478,749.
They will also conduct Chronic Disease Self-Management workshops for 200 individuals specifically targeting those with diabetes at a cost of $40,589 in 2018.
“Ocean County is home to almost 170,000 adults 60 and over,” Vicari said. “And, more than 10,000 baby boomers daily are turning 65. It’s important to meet the needs of the frail and the homebound. This is a priority for the freeholders.”