The Blount County Community Action Agency's Smoky Mountain Meals on Wheels program provides nutritious, homemade meals for area homebound and disabled adults over the age of 60. Since the year 2000, we have operated out of an old elementary school and have made adaptations. In 2013 we introduce a new business model, designed in house entitled RAMP (Rural Area Meal Program). RAMP targets an individ
uals need and addresses the root cause of the personal food shortage. Many seniors are still able to prepare meals but have a hard time getting to or affording food. We now deliver bags of staple groceries (and some goodies) with thanks to the Community Food Connection in Alcoa TN. They along with Feeding America, Second Harvest and Blount County United Way provide over 200 bags monthly to be delivered.. The next level of service is a weekly delivery which consists of 1 hot and 4 frozen homemade lunches. This level of RAMP is for a senior who can still store food properly, operate a microwave/oven and able to chose when & what to eat. RAMP was designed to retain involvement and promote independence. The highest level of service in RAMP is a daily delivery where each client receives a hot meal delivered at lunch time. RAMP was designed because Smoky Mountain Meals on Wheels, like every nutrition program across the nation, is struggling to keep up with demand. By adding new partners, new levels of service and additional streams of revenue we were able to increase our outreach and service by 380%. We have grown from serving lunch to a max of 125 individuals to an astounding 900+.units daily. Our hope is we can keep up with demand in our limited facility. No one in America should go to bed hungry. Especially our seniors and children. Staff:
Audrey Petits- Client Services
Sheila Sutton- Client Services
Nancy Reneau- Client Assessments
Barbara Harrington- Kitchen Operations Manager
Scott Holloway- Kitchen operations support
Tony West- Cook
Ranee Jennings- Kitchen services
Charlotte Douglas- Kitchen Services
Violet Ross- Kitchen Services
Karen & Jim McCaulley-Emergency Meals/AniMeals
