Food Safety

Between deliveries food is kept in insulated bags/coolers and lids on coolers stay closed until arriving at recipient’s home to prevent food spoilage. (Hot foods begins to spoil if temperature falls below 135 degrees F. Milk begins to spoil when temperature exceeds 41 degrees F.)

We will never leave a meal outside the home where it will soon cool or heat up to an unhealthy temperature. If you can not be home but still want your meal please place an insulated cooler by your door.

Inclement Weather

Every attempt is made to deliver meals, the only exception would be heavy snow or hurricane conditions. We stock shelf staples and can use 4 wheel drive vehicles and experienced drivers to deliver in emergency situations.

Medication

Drivers & MOW Staff are not allowed to give medicine no matter how harmless it may seem. We can help you get in touch with someone if you need assistance. Call the Meals on Wheels office and the staff will then get in touch with your emergency contact person or a local medical assistance.

Pet Policy

All pets must be confined or restrained at the time of meal delivery. We in no way want to discourage pet ownership, but we must take safety into account.

Clients of Meals on Wheels

How to Become a Client

A person who meets the eligibility criteria to become a client can become either a prepay client or a funded client.

• Pre-pay or private pay clients. These clients cover the cost of meals by donating $155 a month for their meal, we start clients immediately delivering them hot meals 5 days a week. Call HCCOA MOW at (478) 328-6070. These client donations allow us to help serve clients who can not afford a full donation or possible can afford no donation at all.
• For meals given at no or low cost to clients you can apply to become a MGRC funded client. Call MGRC at (478) 751-6466 to apply to receive meals funded by this state agency.

Eligibility Criteria are as follows:

• Over age 60
• Under a doctor’s care
• Homebound (can’t/unable to drive or cook)
• If under 60, must be Medicaid eligible & disabled

Delivery Times

Meals are generally ready for delivery beginning at 9:30 a.m. All routes go out by approximately 11:00 a.m. Your placement on the route (depending on whether you are the first client on that route or the last) will be the final factor in what time you get your meal exactly.

The Menu

Meals on Wheels is a provider of home delivered meals. Our meals are prepared by Flint Council on Aging in Americas, GA. We work with Flint’s professional dietician to set the menus. Each meal consists of a meat or other protein source, a starch, a vegetable, fruit or dessert, bread and a milk. On Fridays we serve a cold lunch. Quarterly menus are available upon request. Unfortunately, special order meals can not be made at this time. If you have an allergy to something being served you can opt for a frozen meal instead.

Holidays

When you receive a meal from Meals on Wheels, please mark your calendar for the whole year so that you will be aware what days you will not receive a hot meal. On the regular delivery day prior to the holiday the deliverer will deliver your regular hot meal for that day & a frozen meal for the upcoming holiday. At the beginning of the year we pass out a holiday schedule to clients. For 2010 the 11 holidays are as follows:

• January 1, 2010 New Years Day (Fri)
• January 18, 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Mon)
• May 31, 2010 Memorial Day (Mon)
• July 5, 2010 Independence Day Observed (Mon)
• September 6, 2010 Labor Day (Mon)
• November 11, 2010 Veterans Day (Thur)
• November 25, 2010 Thanksgiving (Thur)
• November 26, 2010 “Columbus Day Observed” (Fri)
• December 24, 2010 Christmas Eve (Fri)
• December 27, 2010 Christmas Day Observed (Monday)
• December 31, 2010 New Years Eve “Washington’s Birthday Observed”(Fri)

If You Are Out...

We understand that problems can occur, but it is important to notify the office at (478) 328-6070 immediately if you cannot be home during meal time. If you have a scheduled appointment (i.e. Doctor Appt, vacation) we ask that you call our office and let us know at least 24 hours in advance if at all possible. If you are admitted to the hospital, rehab, or a temporary living facility, please call or have a friend of family member call and let us know as soon as possible.

When a client does not answer the door your driver and our staff worry a great deal. We will call your emergency contact to verify your safety and after 3 days send a staff member to your residence to investigate the situation further. Remembering to call can alleviate undue stress on everyone. If you’d like your meal left by our driver you must leave out an insulated cooler with ice packs. If there is not a cooler, we apologize, but the driver cannot leave the meal.

Home Visits

It is our policy to make a home visit to the recipient on the start of receiving meals, at 6 months from start and annually after that point so we may anticipate any possible needs & make referrals on your behalf if requested.

Meal Donations

All contributions are confidential. If you have questions about donations, call our office. Volunteer drivers should deliver monthly donation envelopes to all clients. When able, put your agreed upon monthly donation amount (for some clients this is zero and they can disregard) donation in the envelope. If you are able to contribute extra then your generosity is always welcome. Your donation can be returned to the volunteer driver or mailed to P.O. Box 118 Warner Robins, GA 31099.