FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Meals on Wheels is committed to providing meals to seniors in need regardless of ability to pay. The full cost of a meal is $8.90 and our sliding-fee scale can help determine your suggested meal price based upon your income and needs. Billing statements are mailed out once a month to the designated payor for the meals received the previous month. Meals may be paid for by check, credit card, or Food Support EBT Card. Payment assistance is available and comes in a variety of forms. Be sure to complete a payment assistance form if enrolling online, or call our enrollment line at 651-318-9091 and ask about payment assistance options. We also provide meals to those on home and community-based Medicaid Waiver programs, such as CADI Waiver or Elderly Waiver, with eligibility determined through a MnCHOICES Assessment.

Once you have enrolled, you will be connected to the local Meals on Wheels provider that serves the area you live in. You will then get a call from your local meal provider to complete the enrollment process and schedule your first delivery. Depending on whether you are going to receive daily hot ready-to-eat meals, or weekly frozen meals, it can take from four business days to a week and a half to begin receiving meals.

Absolutely, you can enroll in Meals on Wheels for as short or as long as you need. You only pay for the meals you have received and you can cancel meals whenever you need to. Please provide at least two business days advance notice when you need to make a change so that we have time to place our meal orders and arrange our volunteers to meet your needs.

Each complete well-balanced meal includes a main entrée, a vegetable, a starch, a beverage, and fruit or dessert. Meals meet the Older Americans Act Nutrition Standards and dietary guidelines for older adults. The main entree is made with either beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or fish. A selection of alternative entrees to choose from is offered. In addition, an alternative is always offered to any pork or fish entree. Vegetarian options are also available. For the beverage, we offer a choice of milk or a variety of juices. The starch will either be potatoes, pasta, or bread. Dessert may include cookies, cake, muffin, or fruit. The kosher and halal meals vary from this description according to their dietary guidelines.

Signing up for meals is easy! Enroll online today with our partner, Metro Meals on Wheels, or call 651-318-9091 to start meal delivery service for yourself, a loved one, or a client under your care. Once enrolled, you will be connected to your local Meals on Wheels provider in Ramsey County and their friendly staff will be happy to help you if you have additional questions.

Meals on Wheels are available to adults of any age who are able to pay the private pay meal rate of $8.90. Support from public and private payment assistance programs is available to those adults age 50 and over who are unable to afford the private pay meal rate and are in need of nutritious well-balanced meals delivered to their door. Those under 50, and living with a disability, may also receive meals through support from public programs. Call our enrollment line at 651-318-9091, or complete a payment assistance form online at www.meals-on-wheels.com, to inquire how Meals on Wheels may be able to help you.

Our hot, ready-to-eat meals also come with instructions for reheating. Many of our clients eat part of their meal when it is delivered at mid-day, refrigerate the rest, and reheat it at supper time. Those who choose frozen meals can heat up their meal in the oven or microwave at their convenience according to our easy-to-follow instructions.

Let us know if you are on a special diet when you enroll. . All meals are diabetic-friendly and heart-healthy. Special dietary menus include gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, renal, and mechanically soft. Cultural menus include kosher, halal, Latino-Inspired, and Asian-Inspired.

Meals vary daily and there are alternative choice options available. New hot meal menus come out each month and no two months are the same. Our frozen menus change quarterly with each season and there are many different frozen meals to choose from. We have Latin-inspired and Asian-inspired items on our regular menus, and always offer an alternative to pork or fish entrees. In addition, we offer a complete kosher menu and halal menu.

If you have a general question about meal delivery, please contact our partner, Metro Meals on Wheels, at 651-308-9091. If you are already receiving meals and have a question about your current delivery, or need to make a change in your delivery, contact your local provider. If you are unsure who your local meal provider is, call Metro Meals on Wheels at 651-308-9091, and they will put you in touch with your local meal provider based upon where you live.

If you need to cancel a meal for a day or a week, or you need to make any change in your delivery, contact your local provider at least 2 business days ahead of your delivery. If you are unsure who your local meal provider is, call Metro Meals on Wheels, at651-308-9091, and they will put you in touch with your local meal provider based upon your address.

If you know you can’t be home for your meal delivery, let your local Meals on Wheels provider know and they will work with you to accommodate any meal delivery changes. If you do not answer during your meal delivery, the volunteer will try to contact you via telephone. If they do not reach you, the meal will be taken back to your site and the Coordinator will be notified that you did not answer. Your site will try to contact you and possibly an Emergency Contact to make sure you are okay. This process also serves as a “safety check” and brings comfort to our clients and their families/friends to know someone is checking on them. If you will not be home at the time of delivery, but still would like to receive the meal(s) that day, let us know ahead of time. We can still deliver your meal and place it in a cooler (with an ice pack) until you return home that day. Or we can make arrangements for you or someone else to pick up your meal. You may also cancel your meal, giving us at least two business days advance notice so that we can plan accordingly, and you will not be charged for the meal. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, please let us know and we will put a temporary hold on your meals. When you are ready to begin meals again, just give us a call at least two business days in advance of when you would like your meals to resume.

Friendly volunteers deliver your meals! Our volunteers are very dedicated, caring, and timely. Meals are delivered mid-day, usually between 11:00am and 1:00pm, Mondays-Fridays.* We deliver directly to your door, taking into account any specific delivery instructions you provide at the time of enrollment. *There are some exceptions to this as some of our programs have staff who deliver and times and days may vary.

You may choose to receive from one meal a week up to seven meals a week. HOT MEALS Hot meals are delivered daily, from one day a week up to five days a week, Mondays through Fridays, with weekend or holiday meals delivered on Thursdays or Fridays. FROZEN Frozen meals are delivered once a week on a weekday. Delivery days vary depending upon program and route schedules. Frozen meals are made fresh without preservatives.

Meals on Wheels of Ramsey County provides meals to residents living in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Each of our eight member programs is located in a different geographic area of Ramsey County, serving residents of that area, and ensuring meals are available to all areas of the county. When you enroll, either online or by phone, you will be connected with your local neighborhood provider. Areas served by our member agencies: St. Paul Meals on Wheels Providers: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation - St. Paul Downtown, North End, Midway and Frogtown areas and parts of Summit-University and Como neighborhoods Jewish Family Service of St. Paul - Provides Kosher meals to Highland Park and West 7th neighborhoods Keystone Community Services - St. Paul neighborhoods of Saint Anthony Park, Midway, Merriam Park, Highland, Mac-Groveland, West 7th, Summit Hill and West Side Merrick Community Services - St. Paul Eastside and Woodbury Suburban Ramsey County Meals on Wheels Providers serve residents of their school districts: Mounds View Area School District North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale Area School District and Near Eastside St. Paul Roseville Area School District White Bear Area School District (including all parts of White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Hugo, Vadnais Heights, Birchwood, Gem Lake and some parts of Lino Lakes, North Oaks, Maplewood, Little Canada, and Mahtomedi)

If you are a Meals on Wheels "Driver" you will need a car, valid driver’s license, and current auto insurance. You will pick up meals from your local Meals on Wheels provider, along with your delivery route instructions, deliver 5-12 meals and then return bags to your local site. There are other options for volunteering as well, including packing meals for delivery each day, riding along for meal deliveries, special projects, and more.

For general questions, or to sign-up to volunteer with Meals on Wheels, you can contact our partner, Metro Meals on Wheels, 651-318-9091 or online: Sign-Up to Volunteer. For specific questions, you can also connect with the local Meals on Wheels of Ramsey County provider in your neighborhood.

Meals on Wheels volunteers are a life link to the greater community for meals recipients, many of whom are unable to experience the world outside their homes. The bright smiles and friendly greetings from the delivery volunteer can be as nourishing as the meals! Last year, around 2000 people volunteered with Meals on Wheels in Ramsey County.

You can contact our partner, Metro Meals on Wheels at 651-318-9091 or online at Sign-Up to Volunteer and ask to be connected to the Meals on Wheels provider closest to you. Each of our member agencies have their own volunteer coordinator and registration process. Areas served by our member agencies: St. Paul Meals on Wheels Providers: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation - St. Paul Downtown, North End, Frogtown, Midway, and parts of Summit-University and Como neighborhoods Jewish Family Service of St. Paul - There are no volunteer opportunities within the Meals on Wheels program at JFS, but the agency offers many other ways to volunteer. Contact JFS directly if interested in learning more. Keystone Community Services - St. Paul neighborhoods of Saint Anthony Park, Midway, Merriam Park, Highland, Mac-Groveland, West 7th, Summit Hill and West Side. Merrick Community Services - St. Paul Eastside and Woodbury Suburban Ramsey County Meals on Wheels Providers - deliver to residents of their school districts: Mounds View Area Schools North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Schools and Near Eastside of St. Paul - Gladstone Senior Program Roseville Area Schools - Roseville Area Senior Program White Bear Lake Area Schools - White Bear Area Senior Program: All Parts of White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Hugo, Vadnais Heights, Birchwood, Gem Lake and some parts of Lino Lakes, North Oaks, Maplewood, Little Canada, and Mahtomedi

As a volunteer driver, you can deliver meals once a week, every other week, once a month, or as an on-call substitute, depending upon your interest and availability. You will pick up meal bags from your local Meals on Wheels provider along with your delivery route instructions, deliver 5-12 meals to neighbors, and then return bags to your local site. Delivery takes about one hour at mid-day, Monday through Friday. A car, valid driver’s license, and current auto insurance are necessary for the driver. Training and assistance are provided. Volunteers can deliver individually, with a partner, or as a team with family, co-workers, or service groups. Our Meals on Wheels providers may also have other volunteer opportunities, including packing meals to go out for delivery each day. When you Sign up to volunteer, ask to be connected with your local Meals on Wheels provider to complete a volunteer application and learn about specific opportunities available at your local site.

Volunteers deliver the meal(s) to the door of the recipient's home. Typically volunteers do not enter the home but hand the meal(s) to the recipient at the door and provide a daily (or weekly) check-in. When meal recipients sign-up for meals, they can provide delivery instructions (ie. to buzz in at lobby entrance if living in an apt. building). If there is no answer at the door, volunteers contact the Meals on Wheels Coordinator at their local site who then follows-up with the client and/or their emergency contact to ensure their well-being. Unless other arrangements have been made ahead of time, meals will not be left at the door for food safety reasons. Volunteers will continue on their route to complete their deliveries.