Clients FAQs
Who is eligible for home-delivered meals?
Do you have to be low-income to receive meals?
How much do you charge for the home-delivered meals?
What kind of meals do you provide?
How does a person sign up for meals?
How soon can a person start getting meals?
How difficult is it for a client to cancel or change their service?
How many days a week do you deliver meals?
Do you provide programs other than home-delivered meals?
Is Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley a government agency?
How is Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley funded?
Who is eligible for home-delivered meals?
Seniors, 60 years of age and older, who live in the Salinas Valley and cannot shop or cook for themselves are eligible for our meals. We deliver meals to the homes of people who need long-term help as well as those who need meals temporarily, such as those who may be recovering from a recent injury or surgery.
Our clients include:
- Elderly people who can no longer drive their cars safely, making it difficult for them to shop for groceries or go out to eat
- Frail seniors who are unable to cook their own meals
- Seniors with disabilities or disabling diseases that make shopping and cooking difficult
- Homebound seniors who need assistance but don’t qualify – or can’t afford – in-home care
- Seniors who need temporary assistance after discharge from the hospital or because of medical treatment, illness, or injury
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Do you have to be low-income to receive meals?
No. We provide home-delivered meals to people of ALL income levels.
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How much do you charge for the home-delivered meals?
We don’t charge a set fee or price for our meals. The raw cost for each meal is approximately $8. We are a non-profit agency so we do ask all clients for a donation to help our program, so we can serve all seniors who need home-delivered meals. Seniors set the amount of their donation to fit in their budgets. Donations are voluntary.
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What kind of meals do you provide?
- We provide either a five-day or seven-day supply of frozen main meals. Our meals are designed to meet the nutritional needs of seniors.
- The frozen main meals provide protein, fruit, vegetables, starches/grains and milk. Main meals are stored in the freezer and are easily heated in a microwave oven.
- Meals are designed for the nutritional needs of diabetics, those with hypertension, and are heart-healthy.
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How does a person sign up for meals?
We sign-up clients over the phone using a 20-minute intake process. Clients can also get the process started on the website by going to the "Sign up" button.
How soon can a person start getting meals?
We can start delivering meals within 2-3 days depending on the inventory we have in stock. Typically, we can start delivering meals within a week. We do not have a waiting list for services and never have.
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How difficult is it for a client to cancel or change their service?
It is very easy. Clients can change or cancel their service by calling our office and speaking wih a staff member.
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How many days a week do you deliver meals?
In Salinas, we deliver two days a week: On Tuesdays we deliver frozen main meals and Thursdays we deliver a bag of Additional Tasty Items (ATI) with items included from our collaboration with the Food Bank for Monterey County. In the rural parts of the valley, we deliver both frozen main meals and ATI once a week, each Wednesday.
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Where do you deliver meals?
We serve the entire Salinas Valley – from Pajaro and Aromas in the north to San Ardo and Bradley in the south. Our territory includes Moss Landing, Castroville, Prunedale and areas east of Laureles Grade. We deliver meals to clients living in Salinas, in rural unincorporated areas of Monterey County, and in the small cities of the valley.
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Do you provide programs other than home-delivered meals?
Yes, with the SPCA of Monterey County, we also offer PetMeals. PetMeals provides pet food to our clients who can’t leave their homes to buy food for their beloved pets. The SPCA provides funds to MOWSV to support the program. Our staff orders the pet food and then MOWSV volunteers bag and label the pet food for distribution. Our volunteers deliver the PetMeals along with each client's regularly scheduled food deliveries.
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Is Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley a government agency?
No. We are a private, nonprofit organization. We’re incorporated as a 501(c)3 agency run by a 9-12 member volunteer Board of Directors, who are elected at the annual meeting held each year in July. We were founded in 1972 and incorporated in 1985.
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How is Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley funded?
Funding for Meals on Wheels comes from a variety of sources. Through a contract with the Monterey County Area Agency on Aging, we receive reimbursement for meals provided to seniors that covers about a third of our costs. Client donations are about 10% of our income. We raise more than half our income through foundation, corporate and government grants; donations from individuals, businesses, service clubs and other community based organizations; special fundraising events; and investments.
All donations stay with us and help local seniors. Only with financial support from this community are we able to provide nutritious, home-delivered meals to all eligible seniors who request them.
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