Cowlitz County to pass $70,000 CDBG public-services grant to Meals on Wheels program

Gina James, director of Health & Human Services, presented a closeout for the county’s 24-25 Community Development Block Grant public-services award that supported Lower Columbia CAP’s Meals on Wheels program. The board voted to close out the 24-25 grant.

For the 25-26 year, the county will apply for a $70,000 CDBG public-services award, with $3,500 allowed for county administration and the remainder passed through to Lower Columbia CAP. Tammy Davies, program manager for senior nutrition at Lower Columbia CAP, described the program: it operates two elements (community lunch sites and home-delivered meals), serves about 450 seniors at congregate sites and has 133 home-delivered clients across Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. The CAP kitchen prepares more than 1,000 meals weekly on a five-week rotating menu; clients are assessed for eligibility and many meals are volunteer-delivered. Davies said Older Americans Act funding comprises about 65% of the program budget, client donations average about $0.41 per meal and the program’s full cost per meal (including case management) is roughly $10.50.

The board voted to submit the 25-26 CDBG application allocating funds to Meals on Wheels; the application will include Chairman Dahl’s signature and the state contract will be scheduled for a future meeting for signature.