Friends of Troy Seniors say Meals on Wheels demand up; council explores support

Bill Rhodes, chairman of Friends of Troy Seniors, told the Troy City Council on Dec. 16 that senior programming at the Troy Senior Center is growing and that the Meals on Wheels program is experiencing higher demand.

"Since the ribbon cutting on October 10th and the article in the Troy Times, the Meals on Wheels program is serving an average of 20 more meals a day," Rhodes said. He described a Dec. 11 holiday roast beef lunch that served 97 meals and a combined November–December distribution in which volunteers, the Troy Rotary Club and the Athens High School powerlifting team helped deliver 160 boxes to 80 recipients and provided $35 gift cards to each recipient.

Councilmember Hamilton asked what the city can do to help expand Meals on Wheels capacity and whether city administration was aware of the issue; Rhodes and councilmembers agreed to continue the conversation after the meeting. Several councilmembers praised staff and community volunteers for supporting the senior programs, and one councilmember highlighted that approving a dedicated senior programming position earlier in the year had contributed to the center’s growth.

Councilmembers did not make or record a formal motion to allocate city funding during the meeting. The discussion ended with offers to follow up with staff outside of the public-comment period so as not to extend debate during the meeting.

Rhodes’s comments and the council’s responses indicate rising community demand for senior services and volunteers stepping in to meet short-term needs; council follow-up and any staff proposals would be the next steps.