Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels)

Whether you’re eight or eighty, eating well-balanced meals rich in vitamins and minerals is very important to your health.

Sometimes it’s difficult to shop for, cook or even care about the foods we eat. We may be recovering from an illness, be homebound, or unable to shop or cook.

Meals on Wheels is a service designed to help eligible seniors and others meet their nutritional needs during such challenging times.

Availability of Meals on Wheels:
Throughout Windham and Windsor counties: The following areas offer hot meals 5 days a week with frozen meals available for weekends and holidays:

• Bellows Falls
• Brattleboro/Vernon/Guilford
• Ludlow
• Saxtons River
• Springfield
• Westminster
• White River Junction
• Windsor
• Woodstock

In most other towns, meals are available on a more limited basis. Please call for information about meals in your town. 1-800-642-5119

Eligibility Guidelines: A person is eligible for Meals on Wheels if she/he is 60 years or more and is affected by either one of the following:

• Has a temporary or permanent incapacity due to illness or advancing age
• Is nutritionally at risk—cannot always purchase adequate foodstuffs or cannot prepare meal

Or is under 60 years and meets any of the following:

• Is the spouse of an eligible participant
• Has a disability and resides with a Meals on Wheels recipient
• Has a disability and is referred by the Vermont Center for Independent Living

Delivery: Meals are delivered by volunteers from the community around the noon hour.

Donations: The Meals on Wheels program depends on participant contributions to help support the service. Voluntary contributions are encouraged although no eligible person will be denied for lack of ability to contribute. There is a suggested donation of $2.50 per meal.

Meals on Wheels are brought to you by the Council on Aging of Southeastern Vermont, Inc. in conjunction with Senior Centers, community meal sites and some restaurants in Windham and Windsor counties.

We want to provide you with the best possible service. If at any time you are dissatisfied with the nutrition services provided, we encourage you to contact our agency. Assessments are done annually to assure your needs are being met.
1-800-642-5119

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Mealtimes provide natural occasions for group social events. Senior Community Meals are held year-round throughout Windham and Windsor Counties. Besides offering nutritious meals, these luncheons are often accompanied by interesting programs such as bookmobiles, guest speakers or educational programs.

Many participants describe the experience like going out to a favorite restaurant and it's a great way to stay connected to others. There is usually a suggested donation of $2.50 for seniors over 60 years of age; $4.00 for younger persons. Click on the links below to see listings of meal sites in your area.

View list of Senior Centers and Meal Sites:
Windsor County / Windham County

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A Registered Dietitian is available to provide one on one nutritional Counseling for Meals on Wheels clients who are at high nutritional risk. Clients are visited in their homes to assess need and develop an appropriate dietary program.

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Food Stamps are food benefits - This is a nutrition program that is intended to be sure everyone has enough to eat when the cost of living rises faster than people's incomes.

Who is Eligible? There are income and resource requirements, and income eligibility is relative to your cost of housing and medical costs.

New rules, such as owning a car, make it easier for you to qualify for food benefits. You may own the home you are living in and still be eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program. You may be eligible now even if you were not in the past!

Great Reasons to Apply for the USDA Food Benefits Program:

• Your health is important, and Food Benefits can help you pay for nutritious food. Eating right will keep you and your family healthy. Good health reduces doctor's visits and medical bills.
• Privacy: If you are under 65, food stamp benefits are accessed through the new electronic benefits card. Only you and the store clerk will know you used the card. If you are over 65 or disabled, your benefits can be direct deposited into your savings or checking account.
• There is enough for everyone! By law everyone who is eligible for benefits receives them, so participation in the program does not mean there is less available for others!

If you want more information about Food Stamps, visit http://www.vermontfoodhelp.com

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What is it? The Commodity Supplemental food program (CSFP) is a USDA nutrition program that offers free monthly nutrition information and nutritious foods like:

• Canned fruits & veggies
• Fruit juices
• Cereals
• Cheese

Who is Eligible?

• 60 years of age or older, living in Vermont and income-eligible
• A child under 6 years of age and not already in the WIC program
• A woman who is pregnant or postpartum for less than a year and not already in the WIC program
• Individual and/or household income will be used to determine eligibility. Each household member may be eligible, and will need to complete an application form.

Call for guidelines: 1-800-214-4648.

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