County senior services seeks substitute cooks and grant funding as meal demand continues

Montezuma County staff on Jan. 6 told commissioners the county’s senior services program needs substitute contract cooks to cover absences and that staff will apply for philanthropic grants to support meal services for vulnerable older adults.

A county presenter described the service: a full‑time cook prepares 80 to 100 meals a day for the program in Cortez. When the regular cook is unavailable because of illness or vacation, the program has in the past had to cancel meals. To avoid cancellations, staff proposed engaging substitute cooks as contractors paid a fixed daily rate rather than hiring additional employees. The presenter said one person has already filled in multiple times and expects payment for the work.

Staff also described two grant opportunities they plan to pursue: a $10,000 “simple gift” from the Rocky Mountain Health Plan (referred to as Rocky Mountain Health Foundation during the discussion) for general operating support, and the Anschutz Family Foundation general operating grant, which would be renewable for up to two consecutive years before a required one‑year break. Staff said the Rocky Mountain opportunity could be followed by a larger three‑year cyclical grant that opens in the fall and is specific to meals for vulnerable aging adults. No formal action or grant awards were decided at the workshop; staff said they would proceed with applications and bring required paperwork back to the board.