OSF St. Catherine’s Meals on Wheels serves Dixon residents with volunteer drivers

A representative of OSF St. Catherine’s Meals on Wheels told the Lee County Finance Committee the program serves Dixon residents with a mainly volunteer workforce and modest participant fees. Linda Setchel, a board member and the food manager at OSF St. Catherine, said the program serves about 40 meals per day and has roughly 60 to 65 people on the program roster. ‘‘We serve about 40 people a day,’’ she said. OSF’s model is city‑limited: the program generally serves addresses within the Dixon city limits but staff said they have occasionally made exceptions for nearby residents. The program charges $4.50 per meal and the participant pays $3.50; OSF covers the difference and pays for the food. Volunteers from local churches deliver the meals, and the program uses donations and an occasional bequest to fund special meals and holiday events. Why it matters: local, volunteer‑run meal programs fill a need for homebound or short‑term clients and rely on community support. Committee members asked whether the program operates on weekends (it does not; hot meals are Monday‑Friday with sack suppers available) and how the program coordinates with regional providers; OSF said it refers callers outside its service geography to LifeScape and other area providers. The county finance committee did not take a funding vote that evening; presenters were thanked and reminded that allocation decisions will follow the committee’s standard budget process.