FAQ

Q: How do I qualify to receive meals?

A: To be eligible, clients must be at least 60 years old and have either a long or short-term disability or illness that prevents them from shopping for food and preparing meals. They must not have access to a community kitchen (for example, in senior housing). Persons without working refrigeration or storage facilities are also eligible.

Referrals for service are made by phone or online, and meal delivery can begin in 24 hours in an emergency, or within a few days in a non-emergency situation. Sources for referrals are varied: the potential client, neighbor, relative, friend, clergy, or a related agency serving the community.

A home visit assessment by a Meals on Wheels nurse is made within a week of the referral. Reassessments are made every six months.

Q: If I meet the eligibility requirements, how soon can I start to receive meals?

A: Meal delivery can usually start the next day on a temporary basis. You will receive a visit from one of our nurses who will make a determination of your physical health and nutritional needs. Meals on Wheels of Staten Island staff members will also determine your ability to help defray the cost of the meals. The nurse will then advise the cooking staff, at which point your temporary status ends and regular meals will begin immediately.

Q: How can I get meals started for my parent, grandparent or neighbor?

A: Call our office at (718) 727-4435, Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also email us. We will provide more information on how to get someone started. You can also fill out the online form here.

Q: How much does it cost and how do I pay for the service?

A: The cost to you is kept to a minimum. The Department for the Ageing suggested contribution rate is $3.50 per day. Monthly statements are mailed reflecting the cost for meals received the prior month. Monthly bills can also be mailed to someone who writes your checks and they can mail your payment back to us.

Q: How long can I receive Meals on Wheels?

A: As long as there are no changes that affect your eligibility, you can continue to receive the service. A Meals on Wheels nurse will visit you every six months for a reassessment.

Q: Who cooks the food and where is it prepared?

Meals on Wheels of Staten Island, Inc. maintains a modern, state-of-the-art kitchen 304 Port Richmond Avenue. Meals are planned by a dietician and are nutritionally balanced to include all of the main food groups. The meals are prepared by a professional chef and his staff, and sealed and packaged on the premises. We prepare a hot meal and a cold meal for over 850 recipients each day. Professional drivers deliver many of the meals, but most are delivered by volunteers.

Q: Can you handle special dietary needs?

A: We can accommodate special diets for specific medical conditions.

Q: Who runs Meals on Wheels?

A: A volunteer Board of Directors meets regularly to set policy and oversee operations. They hire the staff to supervise the office and kitchen operations. These staff members direct hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

Q: How can I become a volunteer?

A: Volunteering is simple and very rewarding. If you are available two hours once a week, we can find ways to help you meet your volunteer needs and goals. To see our operations and/or perhaps ride along on a route, we can arrange a date and time. Just call our office at (718) 727-4435, Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also send an email to our Volunteer Administrator, Roseann Holt or you can fill out the online form by clicking here.

Q: How long does it take to drive a Meals on Wheels route?

A: Usually about one hour. You will arrive at your designated meals pick-up site at 10 am and load the meals into your vehicle (hot meals in the hot bag, cold meals in the cold bag). You will then deliver the meals to your clients. You will be assigned a regular route that you will deliver usually once a week. The clients on your route will become your friends.

Q: How old do you have to be to volunteer?

A: All volunteer drivers must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid drivers license and insurance coverage on their personal vehicle.

Q: Why should I donate to Meals on Wheels? Doesn't the government give you the food and money you need?

A: Meals on Wheels of Staten Island, Inc., does receive government funding (NYC Department for the Aging, Staten Island Borough President's Office, NYS Office for the Aging, NYS Department of Social Services, and members of the NYC Council). However, this funding does not cover all of the costs of providing two meals for over 850 people every day. The fee we charge our clients helps cover a portion of each meal, but we could not operate Meals on Wheels without funding from private individuals, church and civic groups, Citymeals-On-Wheels, United Way, businesses, and corporations (see Affiliations and Community Partners). Every tax deductible donation, in whatever amount, helps those we serve.

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