Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
A popular Nampa/Northern Sunrise County Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) program is available to enhance the lives of seniors and promote healthy aging.
This Wheels to Meals program was created to help people 55 years or older, or those who have limitations, maintain a healthy diet even when they cannot cook on their own, or struggle to cook a balanced diet for just one person. The program provides weekly meal service, available for pick up or delivery every Wednesday, or an in-person meal held the last Wednesday of each month (excluding July and August) at the Marie Reine Cultural Centre.
“We did a survey with the people who are accessing the program to see if they preferred having meals delivered or if they wanted to come back in-person occasionally,” says FCSS director Amber Houle.
“Everyone we talked to are looking forward to coming back in-person to socialize with people from our community.”
Houle says the low-cost program is helpful for people who have physical issues or if they are over 80 years of age, if transportation can be difficult, or leaving home is stressful and tiresome, and to those individuals opting to just keep having their meals delivered.
People can order as many meals as they’d like, with many individuals ordering multiple portions to freeze and to eat throughout the week, making food preparation a lot more convenient.
“Home support clients identified that they would benefit from having healthy cooked meals in addition to opportunities to connect with their peers,” says Houle.
“Clients accessing the program pay $8 in person at Marie Reine Cultural Centre and $10 if they want it delivered. The fees go back into the facilitation of the Wheels to Meals Program,” she adds.
Although the program is run weekly delivering to homes, the last Wednesday of each month will reintroduce the in-person component. The first in-person meal will be on March 28 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
“It will be set up as a lunch and learn style with guest speakers attending each month,” says Houle.
“We will have people come to talk about the various programs offered in the region.”
Houle says she will be providing the first speech to help educated attendees on the programs FCSS provides in the region. She will also be looking for feedback from diners on what they would like to see added to the roster of programs.
The in-person meal is partially supplemented by Northern Sunrise County, making it more cost effective for low-income people. The program offers different meals each week with meals planned around the grocery store specials to ensure costs are kept low.
“Meals all consist of a starter, entrée, and a dessert,” Houle says.
“They are all home-cooked the day of by our two Wheels to Meals coordinators.”
If you would like more information on the program, would like to order a meal, or have an interest in using the community van, please phone the Nampa/Northern Sunrise County office at (780) 625-3287.