Providing Hot Meals to Senior Citizens and Head Start Students


                    I.   TOPIC          Central Texas Nutrition Consortium
                    
II.    LOCATION  Central Texas

                    III. SUBJECT        Providing Hot Meals to Senior
                    Citizens and Head Start Students
                    
IV.    SUMMARY

     The Hill Country Community Action Agency (HCCAA) found it was spending more than
     it could afford on the administrative costs of operating senior citizen and Head Start meal
     programs. In 1994, to help reduce costs, HCCAA lead the way in forming the Central
     Texas Nutrition Consortium. HCCAA joined with Senior Citizens Activity, Inc. (SCAI),
     another provider of meals to senior citizens, to pool their resources, consolidate their
     cooking locations into two kitchens, and hire an outside caterer to prepare and distribute
     all meals provided under the two agencies' meal programs. HCCAA and SCAI have
     invited all other agencies that operate meal programs in central Texas to join the
     consortium. The caterer provides hot, nutritious lunches to 400 Head Start students at 23
     sites and 1,800 senior citizens at 34 sites. The caterer also provides frozen meals that the
     consortium uses for senior citizen meals on weekends, holidays, and through its "Meals
     On Wheels" program. Consolidating the many functions and costs of meal programs has
     allowed the consortium to reduce its per meal cost by 35› since March 1994.
     
V.     SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE

     Established a consortium open to all agencies operating meal programs in central Texas
     that has consolidated meal preparation and distribution, improved meal quality, and
     reduced costs for participating agencies by 35› per meal.
     
VI.    CONTACT

     Fred G. Wittenburg, Executive Director
     Hill Country Community Action Agency
     (A Community Action Agency)
     P.O. Box 846, 2905 W. Wallace
     San Saba, Texas 76877
     915-372-5167
     (FAX) 915-372-3526
     VII.   CASE STUDY

     The Problem: The Hill Country Community Action Agency (HCCAA), which serves a
     9,000 square mile area of central Texas, analyzed the costs of its meal programs meals
     for senior citizens and Head Start students and found that it was spending more than it
     could afford to operate the meal programs. Multiple cooking sites and an enormous
     distribution area were driving the administrative costs of the programs too high. Most
     notable among the escalating costs was worker compensation insurance.
     
     The Approach Adopted: HCCAA decided to consolidate its 10 Head Start and four
     senior citizen cooking sites into two centralized sites and contract out the cooking and
     distribution of meals.
     
     How They Implemented The Approach: HCCAA joined with Senior Citizens
     Activity, Inc. (SCAI), of Temple, Texas, to form the Central Texas Nutrition Consortium.
     SCAI operates 12 senior citizen meal sites, and HCCAA operates 22 senior citizen and 23
     Head Start meal sites. Any other agency providing meals in central Texas can join the
     consortium.
     
     HCCAA, as the lead agency in the consortium, advertised for and hired a caterer to
     prepare and distribute the meals. The caterer, Valley Innovative Management Services,
     Inc., leases two kitchen facilities owned by HCCAA and charges the consortium a flat per
     meal rate. Because preparing meals in quantity is less expensive, the caterer charges
     lower per meal fees as the number of meals needed increases. The consortium and the
     caterer signed a one-year contract.
     
     The caterer prepares and delivers lunch to all 23 of HCCAA's Head Start locations on
     Monday through Friday. Approximately 400 students are enrolled in the Head Start
     program. The caterer prepares and delivers lunch on Monday through Friday for about
     1,800 senior citizens at the 34 senior citizen meal sites included in the consortium. The
     caterer will also prepare frozen meals that can be held for weekends and holidays.
     
     Head Start and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program funds cover the entire
     cost of meals provided for Head Start students. USDA and the U.S. Department of Health
     and Human Services' Administration on Aging provide funds for senior citizen meals.
     However, these funds do not cover the entire meal cost. Therefore, it is most important to
     reduce meal costs in this program and encourage client contributions.
     
     The consortium also operates a "Meals On Wheels" program, partially funded by the
     Texas Department of Human Services and area agencies on aging, in which it uses frozen
     meals supplied by the caterer. Clients, local associations, churches, and governments
     provide additional sponsorship to help cover the costs.
     
     The consortium established a menu committee to retain input regarding the content of
     meals provided by the caterer. The committee also activity solicits comments and
     suggestions on the selection and quality of the food from meal program participants.
     HCCAA believes the oversight and advisory functions of the menu committee actually
     gives HCCAA more control over the menu and quality of the food provided.
     
     Results: By pooling their resources, hiring an outside caterer, and centralizing their
     operations, participants in the Central Texas Nutrition Consortium have been able to
     lower their administrative costs significantly. The average cost per meal has been reduced
     by 35› and is now $2.10. The consortium has also established a structure that allows for
     higher quality meals and enhances the consortium's oversight of and input into meal
     program menus.
     
VIII.  KEY WORDS

     Administrative Costs
     Community Action Agency
     Consortiums
     Head Start
     Meal Programs
     Meals On Wheels
     Senior Citizens