News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The UCHRA has found some solutions for its struggling nutrition program.
Mark Farley is the Executive Director of the UCHRA. He said the nutrition program deficit continues to decrease as more county senior centers begin serving hot meals.
“Not only are the seniors getting a good meal, but we’re seeing those senior centers being benefited because of it,” Farley said. “They’re getting better numbers and that’s the win-win that we were hoping to see. From HRA’s standpoint, we’re still not where we need to be. We’ve improved things, but we’re still in the hole and realizing more and more everyday that there’s still some some successful alternatives out there that we need to look at.”
The UCHRA Executive Committee voted to halt hot meal deliveries earlier this year and transition to weekly frozen meal deliveries. The changes came after the agency reported a nutrition program deficit of as much as $300,000.
Since that time, Farley said a number of county senior centers and nonprofits have taken over the meal program.
“Fentress County and White County, I think are our two success stories, Farley said. “Fentress County is booming. The number of meals serves has gone from an average of 30 last year to up in the 80’s now. White County is going to well, that they’re going to have to slow down a little bit. They’re just busting through the seams.”
Farley said the agency will continue to encourage more counties and nonprofits take over the meal program.
“We want to see those seniors taken care of. Obviously, if we can continue to work with the senior citizen centers that’s our first choice because that gets them out to a setting where the seniors are going to be able to thrive,” Farley said. “They’re (senior centers) also making some money. We’ve got one operation that’s breaking even, but for the most part everybody is making some money.”
Farley said several nursing homes, hospitals, and local restaurants have expressed interest in possibly taking over the nutrition program for their counties.
