CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha Valley Senior Services plans to use a $50,000 grant to take more than 50 senior citizens off a waiting list for the the Meals on Wheels program.
The additional funding was approved by the Kanawha County Commission.
Paulette Justice, executive director of KVSS, said there are 52 senior citizens in the Kanawha Valley that are waiting to have hot midday meals brought to their homes. She said they needed the extra $50,000 for a number of reasons.
“We were operating with cost of living increases and minimum wage increases and still operating a program at the same rate of reimbursement, so we needed additional funding to be able to not have a wait list,” Justice explained.
On average, Justice said it costs them about $1,000 to feed a senior citizen every day for one year.
Most senior citizens want to stay home, she said, so the KVSS has to meet the demand.
“Statistics show that around 85-90 percent of people who are faced with going into long term care prefer obviously to stay within their home and they age better within their home. Our mission is to help seniors age successfully, so that’s one of our primary goals is to keep them in their homes,” Justice said.
KVSS doesn’t just offer hot meals. The program also provides support services to seniors.
“We will take them to their doctors appointments. We will provide them in home care and for those who really need a good meal, we will provide the meal and the other supports that go along with it,” Justice said.
The KVSS’ Meals on Wheels program serves around 500 people a day.