Federal stimulus money will allow emergency meal program to expand
BY JESSICA STEPHEN jstephen@kenoshanews.com
An emergency meal program will be expanded thanks to federal stimulus money being given to Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services Inc.
In the past, a five-day supply of emergency meals was available only for the agency’s Meals on Wheels clients.
But a portion of the $23,780 in stimulus money given to KAFASI will allow meals to be offered to people who participate in the Senior Dining Program, and anyone over age 60 will be able to get their own emergency meals Oct. 27 during an open house at the Kenosha Senior Center, 2717 67th St.
Meal packages will be available between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. People also can register for the Senior Dining program at that time. Reservations are needed for the noon meal.
So far, 400 meal boxes have been ordered. That’s 2,000 emergency meals.
But more will be available if needed, said Lauren Zielsdorf, director of Meals on Wheels and other programs at KAFASI.
“(The emergency meal packets are) just a small portion of what we’re going to be doing with that money,” Zielsdorf said. “If there is a demand beyond what we have, we will be able to meet that demand.”
Traditionally, emergency meal packages have been offered to make sure Meals on Wheels clients are not without food if the agency has to close because of bad weather. Those meals were funded through a grant from the Kenosha Rotary and typically have included powdered milk, boxed juice, oatmeal, apple sauce, soups and crackers, among other foods.
Not only will the stimulus money allow more people to get emergency meals, regardless of the weather, but the federal allotment also has allowed Zielsdorf to shine a light on her agency’s Senior Dining program.
“We serve five days a week at six different sites in Kenosha. It’s a $2.50 donation, but no one is turned away as long as they’re 60 or older,” Zielsdorf said.
Even the donation of $2.50 per meal is a suggestion, not a requirement.
