New law impacts Meals on Wheels program in Dougherty County

ALBANY — Changes taking place effective June 1 will mean that volunteers will no longer be used to deliver to the homebound as part of the SOWEGA Council on Aging Meals on Wheels program in Dougherty County.

This decision supports legislation signed by Gov. Nathan Deal on May 8 to protect vulnerable seniors and those with disabilities, specifically SB 406 and HB 365. William Collins, the board president for the Council on Aging, said as part of its compliance with the legislation, the agency would have had to subject its 300 volunteers involved in the program to background checks conducted by a national agency that would cost the council $15,000 a year to do.

In light of the terms of the legislation, the decision was made to use Middle Flint, the company that prepares meals for the council’s other 13 counties, as the entity that will prepare and deliver the meals to the homebound in order to maintain Meals on Wheels in Dougherty County without the use of volunteers.

It now also means that two three-hour employees and one six-hour Council on Aging employee will be eliminated.

“Unfortunately, we do not have any other positions available for them at this time,” Council on Aging Associate Director Izzie Sadler said.

Officials with the council said the Division of Aging Services requires all volunteers and staff to have a COGENT background check. The Council on Aging explained that with the hundreds of volunteers providing delivery, providing background checks and maintaining a work force robust enough to deliver 140 meals, 250 days a year is logistically unmanageable.

“We are thankful for our volunteers and their commitment and dedication to our clients. We hope they understand that it is our agency’s responsibility to protect our most vulnerable clients,” Sadler said.

Collins said Middle Flint taking over the operations in Dougherty for Meals on Wheels means it will cost the council 50 cents less to produce and deliver the meals than it currently does.

“Engaging our volunteers is so important to us,” he said. “That is why we have put it off for as long as we have, even though it has cost us a little more.

“This is the result of something we did not want to do, but we hope it will allow us to serve more people.”

Collins said Dougherty was the last of the council’s 14 counties using volunteers for Meals on Wheels, adding that officials will work to redirect the volunteers to other tasks and hopefully be able to serve more people with the money being saved.

The board president added that this change will not impact the congregate meals currently served at the Kay H. Hind Senior Life Enrichment Center on West Society Avenue.

Sadler emphasized that there are still opportunities for volunteers to remain engaged with the agency. Anyone wanting to volunteer may contact the Kay H. Hind Senior Life Enrichment Center at (229) 435-6789.

Individuals needing to receive deliveries through Meals on Wheels should call the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-800-282-6612 to be referred into the program.