News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The UCHRA’s Nutrition Program is seeing several improvements after Executive Director Mark Farley took over the position earlier this year.
Farley reported during Wednesday’s executive board meeting the program is working towards cutting its deficit.
“We have our fingers crossed that we have stopped the bleeding,” Farley said. “Now obviously, we’re just one quarter in. There’s things that’s going to come up that we’re not aware of over the next six months or so and that may effect the bottom line. But we’re confident right now and we’re excited that we feel like we’ve got things stabilized and hopefully heading in the right direction.”
Farley said the biggest changes in the program include cutting transportation costs by allowing each individual county to prepare the meals themselves.
“We still cook those meals but it’s a set-portion amount, and those meals are now being prepared by the individual counties,” Farley said. “We know more closely what the number of individuals are [that’s] going to be eating and how many we’re going to have so we’re not wasting food. We’re able to prepare that that morning there at the site when they’re ready to eat it. It’s just made for a much cleaner system.”
Improving the nutrition program was one of Farley’s biggest goals, saying it was one of “the biggest fires” the agency has dealt with the past few years.
“The state has come in and looked at our program. I think they’re very happy with what we’re doing,” Farley said. “They like the direction and actually, I think, want to try and see that done, some of the same things we’re doing on a state-wide basis.”
Prior to Farley taking the executive director position earlier this year, the UCHRA prepared all meals at its central kitchen located in Gainesboro. According to Farley, the program’s deficit at one point reached nearly $250,000.
