LONGMONT MEALS ON WHEELS INC

The goals of Longmont Meals on Wheels are: to maintain or improve the physical health of at-risk older adults, disabled persons and people returning from the hospital by preparing and serving nutritious meals; and to enhance the emotional wellbeing of those persons by providing a daily visit in their homes or encouraging them to attend a congregate Longmont Meals on Wheels site where they can socialize and make friends.

Longmont Meals on Wheels works to provide the basic need of affordable, nutritious food for older people, people with disabilities and people returning from a hospital visit. Hot meals are offered Monday through Friday; frozen meals, for the weekends and evenings, all on a sliding scale. At intake clients are assessed on their diet needs and their income level. Longmont Meals on Wheels plans and prepares well-balanced meals that meet all nutritional guidelines and fulfill many special diets. The agency designs delivery routes to maximize efficiency and recruits and trains sufficient volunteers to deliver meals, check on clients and know what signs to look for that indicate waning health. LMOW does not use waiting lists for services or turn anyone away who cannot afford a hot, nutritious meal. The agency also serves a community lunchtime meal at the Longmont Senior Center and at A Day Place and offers meals to support many senior-center program.

Longmont Meals on Wheels is an expert in senior nutrition and daily wellness checks. The agency has existed since 1969 and continues to serve its community year after year.

There is no other organization serving ready-made, nutritious meals in the homes of seniors and people with disabilities in Longmont or serving lunch at the Longmont Senior Center. Two other organizations locally also work to provide food to homebound seniors: both only provide foodstuffs, both provide any type of food, not necessarily nutritious or accommodating of special diets; only one provides food at low or no cost.

On a daily basis Longmont Meals on Wheels serves 400-450 meals per day to 30 different routes and serves an additional 15-30 meals at the Longmont Senior Center.

Since 1969 Longmont Meals on Wheels has served more than 2.8 million meals in Longmont, Niwot, Hygiene and Lyons for older folks, people with disabilities and people returning from a hospital stay. Last year Longmont Meals on Wheels served 107,740 meals to 977 unduplicated clients or 16% fewer meals than the previous year. The large drop was due to 2020 being such an exceptionally high year and the significant number of clients lost in 2021, due to deaths and clients moving to assisted living facilities after over-delaying the move in 2020 before their were COVID vaccines. 98.5% of meals were home-delivered. So far in 2022 Longmont Meals on Wheels is in a period of growth, averaging five new clients per week in the first quarter.

Also when LMOW conducted its yearly survey, 98% of LMOW clients stated that their health improved or maintained using LMOW services, and 76% said that they were eating more fruits and vegetables. 90% felt that LMOW’s services contributed to their ability to remain independent, while 80% said that at least one factor of daily living, such as stress level, energy, social interactions, finances, mental abilities, dressing for the day or their ability to keep appointments, had improved. 97% of LMOW clients enjoyed the visits from LMOW volunteers, feeling more connected to society. LMOW is more than a meal, and 84% of clients agreed, feeling that a wellness check was important.

Longmont Meals on Wheels will continue to focus on nutrition and wellness checks for seniors and people with disabilities in the Longmont area, particularly for this homebound, vulnerable population.