Additional dollars will fund technical assistance to meal sites with cultural and linguistic barriers to mainstream nutrition services and standards.
The Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) Aging and Disability Services (ADS) division is pleased to announce the results of the 2023 Congregate Meals for Older Adults RFQ, which closed April 12, 2023, releasing more than $3 million in federal Older Americans Act funds (including the Nutrition Services Incentive Program) and HSD General Fund dollars for proposals from agencies that help meet the social and dietary needs of older people by providing nutritionally sound and culturally nuanced meals in a group setting.
HSD received 13 applications from current contractors or agencies who provided meals under a current contractor. No new applicants applied, and requests exceeded the funding amounts available.
“Congregate meals are served at community sites where older people can also socialize, form and maintain relationships, enjoy activities, and get connected to other services and resources,” said ADS Director Mary Mitchell. “Our congregate meal providers did a phenomenal job feeding our elders during the pandemic. We are extremely grateful for their ongoing commitment to the community.”
Thirteen contracts will provide congregate meals at over 50 meal sites across King County, including sites that serve African American, Asian, East African, Pacific Islander and Polynesian, and Native American elders. Some sites will focus on a specific ethnic or language group, including Bhutanese, Cambodian, Chinese, East Indian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Filipino, Hispanic/Latinx, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Tongan, and Vietnamese.
“Congregate meals are served at community sites where older people can also socialize, form and maintain relationships, enjoy activities, and get connected to other services and resources. Our congregate meal providers did a phenomenal job feeding our elders during the pandemic. We are extremely grateful for their ongoing commitment to the community.”
Mary Mitchell, ADS Director
The funded agencies are:
- Asian Counseling and Referral Service
- Catholic Community Services
- El Centro de la Raza
- Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle
- Filipino Community of Seattle
- Indian American Community Services
- International Community Health Services
- Korean Women’s Association
- Mt Si Senior Center
- Multicultural Self-Sufficiency Movement
- Pike Market Senior Center
- Sound Generations
- United Indians of All Tribes Foundation
“This funding enables us to sustain in-person congregate meals,” said Makda Seyoum, Operations Coordinator for the Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle. “During these gatherings, elders have the opportunity to enjoy culturally fitting lunches, socialize with one another, engage in age-appropriate exercises, join ESL and computer classes, health education from RDNs and nurses, and actively participate in various cultural events.”
Registered Dietitian Services Support the Meal Sites
To help meet nutrition, nutrition education, and food safety requirements, HSD contracts with an agency to provide Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) services. Through the Multicultural RDN Services RFP, which was conducted at the same time as the Congregate Meal RFQ above, Tilth Alliance was selected to continue providing this critical role for multicultural meal sites throughout King County.
“We are so grateful at Tilth Alliance for the opportunity for our community-based dietitians to continue supporting immigrant and refugee seniors and partners,” said Chris Hoffer, Community Education Program Director. “This program is critical to ensure seniors have access to culturally relevant, evidence-based nutrition education, food access resources, food safety training, and engaging social opportunities. This work also supports our local food community by promoting seasonal, organic produce, especially from BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color], immigrant and refugee farmers.”
Congregate Meals for Older Adults and the Multicultural Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Services contracts are managed by Aging and Disability Services, a division of the Seattle Human Services Department that is designated by the State of Washington as the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County. Older people, adults with disabilities, caregivers, and family members can access information and local services by contacting Community Living Connections at www.CommunityLivingConnections.org.