04/25/2026
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There are days at VNA where the full weight—and the joy—of this work really comes into focus.
Today was one of them.
At the end of 2023, we made a critical decision. We moved away from Mom’s Meals, where we were paying $6.59 per meal, with a $7+ increase set to hit starting January 1, 2024.
Instead, we partnered with Homestyle Direct at $6.45 per meal.
That decision changed everything.
Because while much of the industry has since been pushed into $7+ per meal—often forcing programs to scale back and serve fewer seniors—VNA did the opposite.
Since January 1, 2024, we have:
Delivered over 95,000 meals to seniors across Knox County
Maintained a $6.45 per meal rate
Expanded participation to reach more seniors than ever before
Done it all while stretching every dollar further
And through careful, proactive negotiation, we’ve secured that pricing through the start of 2027, with only a modest adjustment to $6.55—still below what we were paying back in 2023.
Four years later… and we’re still under our old rate.
That doesn’t happen by chance.
It happens because VNA is a reliable, high-volume partner, delivering over $300,000 annually (HDM food costs alone) in consistent service to our community—without the overhead of marketing or customer acquisition. That kind of partnership creates stability on both sides and allows us to protect the resources that matter most.
The result?
Tens of thousands of dollars saved—dollars that stay right here in Knox County, going directly toward feeding seniors instead of being absorbed by rising costs.
And then, after negotiations, our director, his wife Marisa and their daughter Audrey came after hours building something else—filling garden boxes with soil and compost for our Grandparent Garden.
Because whether it’s negotiating smarter systems or creating spaces for connection and growth… the goal is the same:
To serve.
To sustain.
To build something that truly matters.
That’s VNA. 🌱
