WORTHINGTON — A home-delivered meal program offered through Sanford Worthington Medical Center has seen a decline in the number of requests for meals since it closed its home health office in Worthington and relocated it to Windom last July.
The home health program frequently referred clients to Mobile Meals, and without those referrals, the number of clients receiving meals on a daily basis has dropped to about 40.
Mobile Meals, which was organized 52 years ago in Worthington, consists of a volunteer board of directors, including current co-chairs Kathy Gallagher and Margaret Willardson, who are seeking to regrow the program.
Any resident within the city of Worthington can apply to get a nutritious, balanced meal delivered to their door. Both regular and special diet meals, such as salt-free or diabetic, are available.
“There is no screening to apply to get the meals,” said Gallagher. “There are no age requirements.”
Mobile Meals caters to persons who are unable to prepare adequate meals for themselves due to illness, disability, advanced age or other incapacitating conditions. Meals are prepared at Sanford Worthington Medical Center’s Prairie Cafe, and are just $5. In November, Mobile Meals had 30 private pay clients, and 10 clients who received county- or state-funded meals, Gallagher noted.
The menu is printed every Wednesday in The Globe for the following week, and people can choose to get a meal every day, Monday through Friday, or a minimum of three meals per week. The program is especially convenient for people who are recovering from hospitalization or surgery and aren’t able to prepare a well-balanced meal for themselves. The service is available for both temporary and long-term clients.
“All of us are the eyes and ears of our community — family, friends, neighbors might benefit from Mobile Meals,” Gallagher said, encouraging people to spread the word to those who could benefit from a home-delivered meal. “We have some people who don’t have back-up food — this is their only meal for the day.”
To order Mobile Meals, contact Dee Ella at (507) 376-4769. For first-time clients, Ella will ask a series of questions for inclusion in the program.
Mobile Meals depends on volunteer drivers to deliver the meals. Numerous local churches rotate through, as well as organizations and individuals. District 518 teachers deliver meals for a month during the summer, and a local business is also involved in delivering meals for one month each year.
Gallagher said Mobile Meals currently has six delivery routes within Worthington’s city limits, and there is capacity to add more routes.