For more than 200 older adults in Aroostook County, a daily meal is already part of staying safe and independent at home. For an equal number, that same support has been out of reach — until now.
The Aroostook Agency on Aging has received a nine-month, $570,000 Meeting Unmet Need grant from Meals on Wheels America to help serve older adults who are currently waiting for home-delivered meals. The funding is part of a broader effort to End the Wait, a national campaign to ensure every older adult who needs Meals on Wheels services can receive them.
The agency is the only Meals on Wheels provider in New England — and one of only 22 nationally — selected for this award, underscoring the level of unmet need in northern Maine.
The grant provides funding through the end of November and will help reduce the agency’s waitlist while strengthening delivery infrastructure so that people already approved for service can begin receiving meals.
The agency serves 225 older adults through its home-delivered meals program, while 231 eligible people remain on the waitlist due solely to funding limitations. For those waiting, consistent access to nutritious food can mean the difference between remaining safely at home and experiencing declining health or hospitalization.
Meals on Wheels is a proven, cost-effective intervention that supports independence while reducing healthcare costs. Providing a daily meal costs $16.32 per person, compared to more than $258 per day for nursing home care.
“Aroostook County is one of the oldest and most rural regions in the country,” said Joy Barresi Saucier, executive director of the Aroostook Agency on Aging. “This grant allows us to reach older adults who are already waiting and who need this support now, while we continue to advocate for sustained investment so that no eligible person has to wait in the future.”
The vast geography of Aroostook County presents unique challenges to food access, with many older adults living 30–40 miles from grocery stores, healthcare, and family supports. More than 60 percent live on incomes that do not meet basic household needs, further constraining access to proper nutrition.
“Across the country, Meals on Wheels providers are working tirelessly to meet the growing needs of older adults in their communities,” said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “Through our Meeting Unmet Need initiative, we are investing in local programs so they can expand their reach and ensure more seniors receive the nutritious meals, human connection and support they need to live safely and independently.”
The grant comes at a critical moment as Maine policymakers consider LD 814, the Older Mainers Act, which would strengthen services that help older adults remain safely in their homes, including continued funding to eliminate Meals on Wheels waitlists. More than 900 older Mainers are currently waiting for Meals on Wheels statewide.
“This national grant provides an important bridge,” said Barresi Saucier. “LD 814 represents the long-term solution — ensuring that older adults can access the nutrition and support they need not just temporarily, but consistently.”
As the number of clients served doubles in the coming weeks, community volunteers will play an essential role in helping deliver meals to individuals currently on the waitlist.
“Meals on Wheels depends on neighbors helping neighbors,” said Chris Beaulieu, director of programs and services at the agency. “Volunteers make it possible to deliver both nutrition and human connection, and community support is necessary now more than ever.”
Volunteer opportunities are immediate, flexible and available throughout Aroostook County. Community members interested in volunteering can contact the Aroostook Agency on Aging at 207-764-3396 or sign up online at https://bit.ly/4byOi9x.
The Aroostook Agency on Aging serves older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers throughout northern Maine, helping individuals remain safe, healthy, and independent in their homes and communities.
