- Aged care services will receive $990,000 from the State Budget for kitchen renovations at Meals on Wheels.
- The program provides 250 meals each day.
- Watch the video above to learn more about how these renovations will impact the authority's ability to serve our neighborhoods.
Broadcast Transcript
“Our goal is to expand production and capacity!”
Michael Henderson, Director of Nutrition for Aged Care Services.
Henderson spends a lot of time supervising in the kitchen, especially for the Meals on Wheels program.
“The more people we can help, the more meals we can make and the more we can give back to the community.”
The Meals on Wheels program provides about 250 meals per day, and now Elder Care Services hopes to increase that number with the state funding it receives.
Elder Care Services is one of the few nonprofits that receives funding from Florida's state budget.
Of the $116.5 billion budget approved by Governor DeSantis, senior care services will receive $990,000 to expand food service kitchens.
In the kitchen, Elder Services prepares a hot, fresh menu every day. They prepare meals in ovens and boilers and distribute the meals by the tray to local people as part of the Meals on Wheels program.
“In life, anything we find to help people is generally determined by: 'Do we have the resources to do it?'”
The funds they will receive will go towards new kitchen renovations, which will include expanded storage capacity to stock a greater variety of fresh produce, and upgraded equipment for food preparation and safety.
I spoke with Jocelyn Fliger, CEO and President of ElderCare Services, about funding and their vision for the future.
“Eldercare Services is very excited about the recent state budget. We've expanded our kitchen by 1,000 feet and will be looking hard at how we can best utilise the space inside.”
Not only does it maximize space, it also maximizes connection to the neighborhood.
“Meals on Wheels is really about more than just providing meals. We love interacting with people in the community and letting them know that someone cares.”
