The Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee voted to approve resolution 4-13, a $20,000 amendment to the county's contract with Pure Foods LLC, doing business as Mom's Meals, for the Office for the Aging's home-delivered meals program. Chair moved adoption; the motion passed with no recorded opposition.

Deputy Director Kopenhamer (referred to in the meeting as director Kopenhamer) said Mom's Meals provides biweekly delivery of meals that meet medically restricted diets and recipient preferences when the county's primary vendor, Gateway, cannot meet those needs. "We had to contract with them because some of the meals from Gateway weren't meeting some of the specific restricted diets that were ordered by some doctors and also for preference purposes as well," Kopenhamer said. The amendment is covered in the department's budget, staff said.

A legislator asked whether the meal program is income-based; staff replied that the home-delivered meals are not income-based but are need-based: recipients must show isolation, inability to prepare meals or inability to leave home. Kopenhamer said Gateway handles the majority of deliveries and the county maintains a wait list that has shortened in recent months. "They have to show a need. They're isolated. They can't get out. They're really not able to make meals for themselves. It's not just a convenience program," Kopenhamer said. For service inquiries, Kopenhamer provided the Office for the Aging phone number during the meeting.

The committee recorded the motion to adopt as moved by Legislator Kishan and seconded by Legislator McCullough; the vote was taken by voice and passed.