When the pandemic reached the US and we entered lock-down, the Frankfort-Franklin County Emergency Management Center asked for volunteers to donate their time, items or space - for whatever may come. Since the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service (FCCES) was closed to the public and Extension Agents were limited in what they could provide to the public, FCCES agents agreed to offer their time and the building space, if needed.

The Frankfort-Franklin County Emergency Management Center office soon contacted the FCCES Agents about delivering meals to senior citizens within the county due to the closing of the Capital City Activity Center.  The Capital City Activity Center operates a home-delivered meal program affiliated with the national Meals on Wheels program, which delivers a hot, nutritious meal to home-bound seniors Monday through Friday every week. Eligible clients must be age 60 or older, be unable to cook for themselves, or not have someone to cook for them. 

According to the Capital City Activity Center, before the pandemic, an average of 150-200 people visited the center each day and every Thursday, over 300 senior citizens stopped in for the emergency food pantry. The center serves a total of 550 members, with over half who are not able to prepare themselves a hot nutritious meal.

Since April, each week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a Franklin County Extension Agent delivers a meal to an average of 22 senior citizens in Franklin county.  In addition, the FCCES includes EFNEP and SNAP-ed information, as well as UK & KSU newsletters to all 240 home deliveries each.  The FCCES also provided meat thermometers to the center; they are used to check the temperature of the meals to be sure they are maintaining a safe temperature when delivered to their clients.  The FCCES was able to distribute information from the County Clerk’s office on the ways the senior citizens could cast their ballot for the Presidential Election. The different delivery routes have included homes in gated communities, downtown “food deserts” and rural parts of the county.

This program not only provides hot meals, but also warm smiles and a way to check on clients well being; Home delivered meals are an important step in keeping seniors out of residential care and in their homes, where they can maintain quality of life, dignity, and independence. 

According to the Center’s Nutrition Coordinator, “[We’re now] running nine different routes. We have three salaried drivers and 10 total volunteers. The biggest thing was getting enough drivers, but we’ve been so lucky… and we’re getting it done right.”