Currently serving more than 3,000 meals daily to Sacramento’s seniors, local nonprofit Meals on Wheels by ACC (MoW) has seen a sharp increase in the need for their services during the pandemic. That need is expected to grow exponentially, and by 2040 nearly half a million people ages 60 and older are projected to be living in Sacramento County — almost three times the number in 2000.
To meet the rising demand, MoW has nearly doubled their meal delivery capabilities and is expanding its restaurant meal programs in partnership with local businesses. “As we rebuild from the pandemic and strive to meet the growing needs of our region’s seniors, we are endeavoring to produce meals locally utilizing our region’s workforce and sourcing local ingredients,” says Kevin McAllister, Executive Director for MoW by ACC. “This change was prompted by our new partnerships with local restaurants such as Selland’s Market Café, Drewski’s Hot Rod Kitchen, Café Elk Grove, and A Taste Above. The positive response from our community has been overwhelming.”
To support its vision of moving meal production operations to Sacramento, the nonprofit aims to build a production kitchen in Sacramento County by 2024. With generous support from MoW’s funders and subsidies from the American Rescue Plan Act, the production kitchen will give MoW plenty of space to prepare meals, provide workspace for staff and store food delivery vehicles.
“We strive to serve as many seniors as we can so that our seniors can age in place.”
– Kevin McAllister
“We are seeking an available building approximately 25,000 square feet in size and looking for partners to help us identify potential spaces,” McAllister says. “We continue to raise funds so we can serve as many of our Sacramento County seniors as possible.”
“Thanks to increased support from the community, greater levels of funding and the vision of MoW’s leadership team, production will now be based locally,” McAllister continues. “This change will now allow us to provide fresh and culturally relevant meals for our seniors.”
