Pictured is Meals on Wheels Volunteer Jerry Gioia with Emily Groll, co-owner of Sprout, who is a new vendor providing additional meals once a week on Thursdays for the next 12 months to the Meals on Wheels Program at the Talbot County Senior Center at Brookletts Place.
There are 125 homebound seniors and disabled individuals in Talbot County who rely on Meals on Wheels four days a week so that they can get the proper nutrition. Meals on Wheels, a national non-profit volunteer community service providing nutritional home-delivered meals at a nominal cost to qualified individuals, is provided through Upper Shore Aging and distributed through the Talbot County Senior Center at Brookletts Place in Easton. Meals on Wheels recently added an additional new vendor, Sprout of Easton and St. Michaels, to provide the meals once a week on Thursdays for the next 12 months. Delmarva Community Services was already providing meals Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
“We are so thrilled that we can contract with a local restaurant through this difficult time – it helps them and it helps us. Our residents are getting fresh meals made from local products which are both nutritious and different from the more traditional meals we currently serve,” comments Childlene Brooks, Manager of Brookletts Place.
According to Ryan Groll, owner of Sprout with his wife Emily, Sprout applied for the contract through the Maryland Department of Aging’s Maryland Senior Nutrition Restaurant Initiative because they felt they could provide healthy portions with real nutritional value. The prepared meals had to meet the health requirements of seniors, be packaged appropriately, and be ready to be heated up after their delivery.
“We are excited about our chefs and bakers creating awesome entrees which provide participants in Meals on Wheels with a variety of options. We will provide a different course every week for their enjoyment,” comments Groll.
Meals on Wheels are offered at a nominal cost during a period of need. This service is offered to qualified persons (disabled and seniors) who may benefit from it, regardless of income. Meals are prepared and packaged at cost and delivered by volunteers four days a week: on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays to the individual’s home. For more information about the program, to sign-up for meal delivery to your home, or to volunteer, please call the Brookletts Place at 410-822-2869.
