Senior Services Consortium of Ramsey County

Since 1975, the Senior Services Consortium of Ramsey County has led a meals on wheels collaboration focused on cost-effective solutions to provide nutritious home-delivered meals and wellness checks to older adults living at home throughout Ramsey County. Ramsey County is the second-most populous County in Minnesota while being the smallest geographically, therefore being the most densely populated County in the state. Ramsey County is also the most racially and ethnically diverse County in the state. Ramsey County is experiencing exponential growth in the population of older adults, which is expected to double in the next 15-20 years. With the rapid expansion in the number of older adults and considering the average life expectancy of 79.9 years in Ramsey County, this is leaving more and more older adult residents at risk of hunger and isolation. Clients come to the Consortium for meals on wheels and other Senior Services offered by members. By formally engaging a network of well-respected east metro community-based organizations and school districts, uniform and accessible service is available throughout the County and beyond. The Consortium network ensures an effective, economical, and streamlined meal delivery system that is also locally-based and responsive to neighborhood/community needs. The Consortium maintains the coordinated system of meals on wheels of Ramsey County, in collaboration with member agencies, Ramsey County, community partners, and funders by coordinating service contracts, grants, shared operations, and customization of Services. Collaborating as a Consortium helps to stretch limited resources by leveraging the network of members. Collaboration encourages best practices and community engagement in each member's geographical areas. The Consortium works to strengthen operations by providing billing Services, program development, vendor management including caterer and metro meals on wheels, surveys/evaluation, Ramsey County Senior resource guide, outreach support, and strategic planning. In 2023, Consortium members delivered over 181,000 nutritious mid-day home-delivered meals to people who are older adults, living with a disability, or who were unable to prepare their own meals. Meals are made from scratch in a local twin cities meals on wheels kitchen. Meals are heart-healthy and diabetic-friendly. Meal options include gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, renal, and pureed. Cultural menus include kosher, halal, hmong, asian-inspired, and latino-inspired.research shows the daily check included in the meals on wheels delivery model lessens feelings of isolation and lonliness and reduces the rate of falls. Meals on wheels can serve a Ramsey County Senior for an entire year for roughly the same cost as one day in the hospital or 10 days in a nursing home. 68% of meals on wheels recipients in Ramsey County live alone and most are low income. Volunteers are the backbone of the meals on wheels of Ramsey County program. About 2,000 volunteers helped deliver meals in Ramsey County in 2023. Many people volunteer on their own while others participate through organizations where they are employed or are members.