Dunn County ADRC reports jump in meals, new tech pilot and steady volunteer transit support

Sheila Story called the Dunn County Aging and Disability Resource Center advisory committee to order May 18 and asked staff for program updates. Bernie Allen, the county’s aging and transportation programs manager, reported an increase in senior meal activity and two recent local grants to support operations.

“...in the first 3 months of 2026, we have served 9,031 meals throughout the program,” Allen said, citing numbers that exceed the same period in 2025 and 2024. Allen said participation rose at Menomonie, Ridgeland’s Dairyland Cafe and the Sand Creek Cafe, and that suggested contributions at congregate sites remain $5 per meal.

Allen also described two awards from Dunn Energy Cooperative’s Operation Roundup program: a $2,500 earlier distribution and a $1,700 grant Allen applied for to replace the divided kitchen sink and faucet at the TanTara congregate meal site. Allen said the project is pending county-board approval and that work and plumbing labor are being scheduled.

The committee discussed volunteer delivery and reimbursement. Allen said the ADRC contracts with a rural-route provider, and that some delivery work is handled by county employees who may claim mileage reimbursement. “We still give our volunteers the option to submit for mileage reimbursement and very, very few do,” Allen said, noting the program continues to recruit and train volunteers.

Tracy (ADRC staff) delivered a broad “ADRC 101” presentation to orient advisory members to the center’s role, core functions and recent staffing changes. She outlined services including information and assistance, options counseling, long-term-care functional screening, benefits counseling, caregiver and dementia support, and transportation resources.

Tracy named staff by role: Bethany Schneider, elder benefit specialist, who helps residents navigate Medicare; Lisa Schuler, disability benefits specialist, who assists people ages 18–59 with Social Security disability matters; and Carla Berscheit, now Dunn County’s full-time dementia care specialist, who provides memory screenings, caregiver support and education.

The meeting also covered the ADRC’s transportation partnerships. Tracy said the ADRC receives state funding through an 85.21 specialized transportation grant; much of that funding is passed through to the county transit department, which handles scheduling and most ride operations. The ADRC supplements services with volunteer drivers for medical appointments and registers new riders to confirm eligibility. On screening and liability, Tracy said background checks are performed, the county verifies insurance, and volunteers’ insurance would generally be the first to respond in an accident; the county could become involved legally because volunteers are operating for the county.

Tracy described an externally funded technology pilot using Intuition Robotics devices (referred to in the presentation as the LEQ devices). The pilot—supported by a grant from the Inclusive Foundation (rebranded as Common Good Philanthropies)—provides up to two devices and service time and runs through December 2027. Tracy said the project has led to state-level collaborations, speaking invitations (including the NASW state conference in November), a June 3 appearance on a London podcast called “AI for Equity,” and an inquiry from a U.S. producer for Denmark’s national television about featuring the pilot.

“We were contacted by a woman named Gita, who is the U.S. producer for Denmark’s national television,” Tracy said, describing the media interest. Tracy added that staff will plan visits and interviews if the producer follows through.

The ADRC also received two Community Foundation grants totaling $3,000 to run senior technology classes in partnership with literacy volunteers and a UW–Stout professor. Tracy said the spring session is expected to start the first week of June, sign-up is limited to 10 participants per session, and participants who complete a 10-session course may keep the laptop used in class for $25.

Board member Margie Hageman raised housing concerns—citing a lack of local continuum-of-care campuses that allow residents to move from independent living to assisted living and memory care without leaving Dunn County—and asked whether the ADRC could accept donations or help arrange paid services for those who can afford them. Tracy said ADRC aging and transportation programs use suggested donations but will not deny services to those who cannot pay, and clarified that ADRC staff are currently prohibited from actively soliciting donations on the ADRC side though they can accept memorial gifts; state guidance on donations may be updated.

The committee approved the previous meeting’s minutes, discussed scheduling and adjourned. The ADRC will seek board approval for pending grant funds at the next meeting and expects to finalize class dates and service timelines in coming weeks.

What’s next: grant approvals (county board), final dates for the senior technology sessions, and continued volunteer recruitment for meal delivery and transportation services.