Nutrition | Meals On Wheels of Monmouth County

COMMUNITY UPDATE

The Senior Nutrition/Meals on Wheels Program is currently serving over 1,100 daily meals to homebound seniors across Monmouth County.

In response to the Covid-19 health crisis, we have introduced many enhanced personal, facility and vehicle safety protocols to ensure the safety of our volunteers, staff and the seniors we serve. We have also repositioned IFN staff from programs currently on hiatus in order to establish a fully trained backup pipeline to ensure continuity of operations.

We are also taking steps to ensure continuity of our food supplies; stocking a two week supply of certain food items, replenishing our supply of shelf-stable meals, and working closely with Monmouth County and the State of New Jersey on strategies to ensure continued operations as we weather this crisis.

At this time, we are reviewing requests from seniors for delivery of homebound meals; those that meet eligibility requirements will be added to home-delivered routes as soon as possible, but, please understand our delivery system is under stress at the moment.

We are experiencing understandable fluctuations in our volunteer force. We are pleased to share that we have received many inquiries about volunteering for the program in response to our calls for volunteers. We are vetting, training and scheduling new volunteers on a continuous basis. If anyone is interested in volunteering to assist with the meal delivery program, please email your availability from 8 am to noon Monday through Friday to bethp@interfaithneighbors.org.

Donations to help us stay increased program costs are gratefully accepted by clicking the link below:

1,100 Meals Delivered Every Day – There Are People In Those Numbers

Our program provides a noonday meal for approximately 3,500 senior citizens annually, a total of 350,000 meals per year. The meals are nutritionally well balanced, planned by a registered dietitian who is a member of our staff. A limited weekend and holiday meal program is provided for the homebound seniors who have no one else to care for them. Those over age sixty are eligible for this program (and a limited number of younger disabled persons).

Our program is funded partially by Monmouth County grants, USDA reimbursement and donations from our meal program participants and generous donors.

Congregate Meals
Sharing a meal is central to a family, but for some of our elderly that is no longer possible and they feel the loneliness and isolation of being alone. In addition, they often do not eat well because of limited income or the inability to shop or prepare meals.

Participation in our congregate meal program can ease the void created when a person lives alone. Our congregate locations throughout Monmouth County provide a warm and inviting social setting. A senior coming into a center for the first time is embraced by the companionship of peers, and friendships are created that last beyond the time spent at the site. Lives are enhanced by seniors looking after seniors.

Meals on Wheels
For the homebound senior, our meals-on-wheels program provides a vital link to the world. The senior can remain comfortably at home with the dignity of independence and the security of having someone visit once a day with a nutritious meal. The warm smile of one of our wonderful volunteers or caring meals-on-wheels drivers is also very important to them.

Contact us to join our program!

Congregate Sites:

  • Asbury Park Senior Center
    Springwood Center
    1201 Springwood Ave.
    Asbury Park, NJ 07712
    (732) 807-2708
  • Howell Senior Center
    298 Old Tavern Road
    Howell, NJ 07731
    (732) 938-4937
  • Keyport Senior Center
    110 Second Street
    Keyport, NJ 07735
    (732) 888-4876
  • Middletown Senior Center
    Croyden Hall
    Leonardville Road
    Leonardo, NJ 07737
    (732) 291-0999
  • Neptune Senior Center
    1835 Corlies Avenue
    Neptune, NJ 07753
    (732) 988-8855
  • Red Bank Senior Center
    80 Shrewsbury Avenue
    Red Bank, NJ 07701
    (732) 747-5204

The Interfaith Neighbors Network