The Elderly Nutrition Program

    The Administration on Aging’s (AoA) Elderly Nutrition Program provides grants to support nutrition services to older individuals throughout the country. The goals of the Elderly Nutrition Program are:
  • To help improve the dietary intakes of participants and reduce hunger and food insecurity.
  • To give older adults the opportunity to form new friendships and to create an informal support network.
  • To promote the health and well-being of older individuals by providing access to nutrition and other disease prevention and health promotion services to delay the onset of adverse health conditions resulting from poor nutritional health or sedentary behavior.

Through the Elderly Nutrition Program, Aging Resources can help provide congregate and home-delivered meals for older individuals in Central Iowa. Meals served under the Elderly Nutrition Program must provide at least one-third of the daily recommended dietary allowances established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council.

Congregate Meals

    For those who are 60 years of age or older, there are 35 Congregate meal sites located throughout the 8 counties in Aging Resources of Central Iowa’s service area. Many congregate meal sites offer activities, nutrition screening and education, health screening, and transportation.

Click on your county below for information on your neighborhood congregate meal site and hours of operation or scroll down to see a complete list of meal sites.

Boone County
Dallas County
Jasper County
Madison County
Marion County
Polk County
Story County
Warren County

Home-Delivered Meals

Max Juanita, home delivered meals

    The home-delivered nutrition services program provides nutritious meals and other supportive services to older individuals, particularly those in greatest economic and social need, who are homebound by reason of illness or incapacitating disability and to those who are otherwise isolated. To determine an older adult’s eligibility for home-delivered nutrition services, a qualified health professional must complete a certification of need for the client.

Home-delivered meal employees and volunteers who deliver meals to homebound older persons have an important opportunity to check on the welfare of the homebound elderly and are encouraged to report any health or other problems that they may observe during their visits.

For more information about home-delivered meals, please contact the home-delivered meal provider in your county.

Boone County: Home Care Services of Boone County Hospital – 515-432-1127
Dallas County: HomeCare Services Inc. – 515-993-4531
Jasper County: Jasper County Board of Supervisors – 641-792-7102
Madison County: AdultLife Community Center – 515-462-1334
Marion County: Marion County Board of Supervisors – 641-842-6070
Polk County: WesleyLife Meals on Wheels – 515-699-3243
Story County: Heartland Senior Services – 515-233-2906
Warren County: Warren County Board of Supervisors – 515-961-1013

The Fresh Conversations Program

Fresh Converastions

    Fresh Conversations is a monthly nutrition education newsletter for older adults. The goal of the publication is to inform older Iowans about how to practice proper nutrition, physical activity, and healthy behaviors. The helpful information in the newsletter also includes fun exercises, recipes, and games. The Fresh Conversation newsletters are also supported by monthly presentations, which are given by volunteers who are passionate about health and nutrition. With topics that vary each issue, Fresh Conversations continually produces new and helpful information on how older adults can maintain healthy lifestyles.

Fresh Volunteers Needed: To be able to bring Fresh Conversations to more seniors, additional volunteers are needed to expand the program. We are looking for fun people to facilitate the program at more senior centers across Iowa. A background in nutrition is not required, just a great attitude toward improving personal health. If you’re interested volunteering, please contact Kate Rittman, Nutrition Services Director at (515) 633-9518 or kate.rittman@agingresources.com.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

    Please

click here

    for more info about the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

Holiday Meals

    Aging Resources of Central Iowa’s Holiday Home-Delivered Meal Program has provided homebound seniors in Central Iowa with hot meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas for over 25 years. Since our regular providers of home-delivered meals are closed for the holidays, volunteers are recruited to deliver meals to seniors in Boone, Jasper, Polk, and Story Counties. This program not only provides the older individual with a traditional holiday meal, but also the comfort of a friendly visitor.

Food Assistance

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program If you do not have enough money to buy the food you need and you are not already receiving food assistance, you may qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides you with an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that you can use like a debit card to buy food at the grocery store. To get SNAP benefits, households must meet certain tests, including resource and income tests. To get more information or to apply for SNAP benefits, please go to www.fns.usda.gov/snap.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

Another program available for seniors who need food assistance is the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). With CSFP, you can get a monthly food package to take home. This program is available in Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Polk, and Warren counties. For more information on this program, click here.

Want to Volunteer?

Become a volunteer to prepare or deliver meals to seniors. Contact your local congregate meal site for information on volunteer opportunities.

Boone

Boone Senior Center
Monday – Friday 10:00AM – 12:30PM
1112 Story Street
Boone, Iowa 50036
(515) 432-3792

Senior Associates of Madrid
Monday – Friday 11:30AM – 12:30PM
237 S. State St.
Madrid, Iowa 50156
(515) 795-2865

Dallas

Adel Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 4:00PM
101 North 9th Street
Adel, Iowa 50003
(515) 993-4531

McCreary Center
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11:00AM – 1:30PM
1800 Pattee Street
Perry, IA 50220
(515) 465-5621

Sugar Creek
Monday – Friday 11:00AM – 12:30PM
1600 L.A. Grant Parkway
Waukee, Iowa 50263
(515) 987-0313

Jasper

Colfax Senior Citizens Center
Monday – Friday 10:45AM – 12:45PM
Howard & Walnut Streets
Colfax, Iowa 50054
(641) 792-7102

Monroe Community Building
Monday – Friday 11:00AM – 1:00PM
206 West Sherman
Monroe, Iowa 50170
(641) 792-7102

Jasper County Community Center
Monday – Friday 7:00AM – 5:00PM
2401 1st Avenue East
Newton, Iowa 50208
(641) 792-7102

Madison

Earlham Community Center
Monday – Friday 11:00AM – 1:00PM
150 E. 1st Street
Earlham, Iowa 50072
(515) 758-2590

Winterset Senior Center
Monday – Friday 7:30AM – 4:00PM
1006 North John Wayne Drive
Winterset, Iowa 50273
(515) 462-1334

Marion

Knoxville Senior Center
Monday – Friday 7:30AM – 3:30PM
308 East Montgomery
Knoxville, Iowa 50138
(641) 842-6070

Pella Meal Site
Beginning 7-1-16:
419 East Oskaloosa St.
Pella, Iowa 50219
(641) 842-6070

Pleasantville Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:30AM – 1:30PM
116 East Monroe
Pleasantville, Iowa 50225
(515) 848-3538

Polk

Altoona Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
507 13th Avenue SW
Altoona, Iowa 50009
(515) 967-1853

Ankeny Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
406 SW School, Suite 104
Ankeny, Iowa 50021
(515) 963-0527

Central Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
2008 Forest
Des Moines, Iowa 50311
(515) 286-3677

East Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
1231 East 26th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
(515) 265-8461

Grimes Senior Meal Site (Grimes Community Complex)
Monday – Friday
9:30AM-1:30PM
410 SE Main Street
Grimes, Iowa 50111
(515) 986-5747

Johnston Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
6300 Pioneer Pkwy.
Johnston, Iowa 50131
(515) 251-3707

Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
1650 Garfield
Des Moines, Iowa 50316
(515) 266-5445

North Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
100 East Euclid, Suite 107
Des Moines, Iowa 50313
(515) 288-1524

Northwest Community Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
5110 Franklin Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50311
(515) 279-2767

Norwoodville Community Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
3077 NE 46th Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
(515) 266-5794

Pioneer Columbus Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday
9:30AM – 1:30PM 2100 SE 5th
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
(515) 288-3734

Polk City Senior Meal Site
Tuesday & Thursday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
309 Van Dorn
Polk City, Iowa 50226
(515) 984-6691

Runnells Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
108 Brown
Runnells, Iowa 50237
(515) 966-2427

Scott/Four Mile Senior Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:30AM – 1:30PM
3711 Easton
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
(515) 265-9977

South Senior Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
100 Payton
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
(515) 287-0092

Westside Community Center
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM
134 6th Street
West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
(515) 274-0373

Story

Heartland Senior Services
Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:30PM
205 South Walnut
Ames, Iowa 50010
(515) 233-2906

Warren

Carlisle Community Center
Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 1:00PM
30 Vine
Carlisle, Iowa 50047
(515) 989-4367

Indianola Meal Site
Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 1:00PM
301 North Buxton, Suite 202
Indianola, Iowa 50125
(515) 961-1155

Lacona Community Center
Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 1:00PM
104 N. Washington
Lacona, Iowa 50139
(641) 534-3401

Martensdale Lions Hall
Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 1:00PM
395 Iowa
Martensdale, Iowa 50160
(641) 764-2736

New Virginia Lions Hall
Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 1:00PM
503 West Street
New Virginia, Iowa 50210
(641) 449-3214