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Meals program donations rise More than $40,000 raised for services to seniors By JONEL ALECCIA A call to area communities to come up with money and support to maintain meals programs for seniors is being answered � albeit slowly, according to the agency in charge. Communities across the Rogue Valley tentatively have pledged more than $40,000 in outright funds and in-kind donations to prevent closure of 14 meal sites that feed some 4,000 seniors annually, said Don Bruland, executive director of the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. That�s still shy of a shortfall estimated between $120,000 and $160,000, but Bruland said Monday he believes the momentum begun will help close the gap. "What I�m feeling like is people are taking ownership of the program. I�m basically very encouraged," Bruland said. "I�m expecting minimal closures, if any." The RVCOG last month warned that senior nutrition program meal sites in Jackson and Josephine counties would close after ACCESS Inc. pared services it had been subsidizing. But staff efforts to petition communities for donations of money, space and volunteers are slowly paying off, In Ashland, the city�s budget committee has recommended approval of $10,000 to support the program; the city council will vote on the issue tonight. The Grants Pass City Council will consider a budget committee request for $15,000 June 21. The Central Point City Council agreed to pay utility fees at a city-donated site. In Jacksonville, the city council has approved $6,000 to pay for a meal site manager. After the Jacksonville meeting, a local resident wrote a $1,500 check to cover costs of a year�s rent for the site. "I think that this shows that this program is really important," said Sharon Laws, who manages the senior program in Ashland. "I think people really feel this at the local community level." Smaller communities have pitched in as well, Bruland said. In Cave Junction, the budget committee recommended allocating $1,000 to the program. In Wilderville, the local United Methodist Church will continue to run its site with volunteer manager Carmeleta Mills. In Wolf Creek, volunteer Rachel Converse will continue to feed seniors on behalf of the local civic association. Efforts in Eagle Point, Gold Hill and Rogue River are ongoing, Bruland said. The exact shortfall is difficult to figure because agencies have until June 16 to offer bids to provide food, transportation and other services. Food is the most expensive element of the program, Bruland said, and final fees will depend on the provider. ACCESS declined to continue to provide some $70,000 in subsidies, said Jon Deason, nutrition program coordinator for ACCESS. That forced the RVCOG to turn to the community for help. The senior nutrition program provides some 230,000 hot meals annually to 4,000 people aged 60 and older. More than 140,000 meals are delivered to seniors who cannot leave their homes. The rest are served at community centers that provide a valuable social link in seniors� lives, workers said. The RVCOG must finalize funding for the sites by the start of the July 1 fiscal year. Program contracts begin in August, but the RVCOG board needs a clear picture of need, Bruland said. "They don�t want a blue sky budget that says we have to come up with an extra $100,000,�� he said. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA