From the beginning, the Mower County Senior Center's Senior Meal program has been ever-changing. During it's earlier, pre-COVID 19 days, the Senior Center served around 150 meals a day to seniors who were able to stop in for some food and conversation. Nowadays, things are looking quite different.
Phase I of the Senior Center's COVID-19 plan started on March 23rd and served over 900 seniors a day within their homes to help minimize contact. Serving seniors within their homes was made possible by the help of many community partners, including SMART Transit, Hormel Foods, and Semcac, alongside a multitude of volunteers.
Phase II started on July 6th, and, once again, revamped the program. Phase II has allowed able and willing seniors to pick up their meals twice a week on Monday and Wednesday while still providing in-home assistance to those who aren't able to travel as easily. "Currently, we are providing curbside pickup twice a week for seniors that require meals, and many of them have told me that receiving their meals is the only interaction they receive all week. While they are trying to be safe and distance themselves, many lack those one-on-one interactions they previously had," Sara of the Mower County Senior Center said.
Since Phase I of the Senior Meal program, 385 individual volunteers have filled 1,805 volunteer shifts. Volunteers have been connected to the Senior Meal program through the use of Get Connected, our platform where volunteers and organizations needing an extra hand can meet in the middle.
