The Senior Dining Frozen Meal Expansion Project, a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud, is offering meals for pick-up at several additional locations across Central Minnesota in December.
The project started in August, with additional locations being added. Currently, 12 locations are scheduled for December. Visit www.ccstcloud.org/events for the most up-to-date information. The project is partially funded under a contract with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging as part of the Older Americans Act.
These healthy and nutritious frozen meals meet one-third of the recommended daily allowance for seniors, and they are packaged in oven-safe containers that can be heated in both conventional and microwave ovens. Meals are available in quantities of 10, up to 30 per calendar month. Participants must be 60 years of age or older to be eligible, and all clients must complete an annual registration form. There is no cost to participate; however, donations are accepted.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic Charities Senior Dining recognizes now more than ever that seniors need access to easy-to-prepare healthy food options,” according to a Nov. 28 news release from Catholic Charities.
These pick-up sites have been providing seniors with food during the pandemic with modified quarantine practices, the release noted. Recognizing that seniors who live in rural communities have limited opportunities for food support, Catholic Charities Senior Dining is partnering with several Central Minnesota locations to offer frozen meals to pick up in a no-contact, drive-through format.
Catholic Charities Senior Dining has been providing low-cost meal options for seniors 60 and older in Central Minnesota for more than 55 years. The program currently has senior dining sites located across nine counties in the Central Minnesota region, offering meals for takeout, pickup and home delivery.
December pick-up sites, dates and times are:
- Ogilvie: Dec. 1, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Ogilvie Museum, 201 N. Hill Ave., Ogilvie
- Mora: Dec. 1, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. — First Presbyterian Church of Mora, 551 S. Wood St., Mora
- Hinckley: Dec. 4, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. — Hinckley Community Center, 102 Dunn Ave. N., Hinckley
- Avon: Dec. 7, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Avon Food Shelf, 212 1st St. SW, Avon
- St. Cloud: Dec. 8, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf, 157 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud
- Milaca: Dec. 10, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Alliance Church, 12543 MN-23, Milaca
- Little Falls: Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. — Senior Center of Little Falls, 510 7th St. N.E., Little Falls
- St. Cloud: Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — First Presbyterian Church, 340 5th Ave. S., St. Cloud
- St. Joseph: Dec. 14, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 County Road 2 S., St. Joseph
- Askov: Dec. 15, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Askov Community Center, 6369 Kobmagergade, Askov
- St. Cloud: Dec. 22, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf, 157 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud
- Sartell: Dec. 28, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. — Celebration Lutheran Church, 1500 Pine Cone Road N., Sartell
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