NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Aging Projects Inc. Executive Director Charles Johnston explained that the organization is in charge of government programs to be sure seniors are well-fed. The home version is Meals on Wheels, the congregate version is Friendship Meals.
"Aging Projects runs two programs which are federally funded," Johnston said. "One is called congregate, which is a nutrition program and the other is called home delivered, which most people know by the name Meals on Wheels. Like I said, this is a federal program."
According to the Administration for Community Living, meals provide at least one-third of the recommended Dietary Reference Intakes established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and adhere to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the Secretaries of the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture.
"Aging Projects was formed in 1974 as kind of a movement by this community in Hutchinson and subsequently much of south central Kansas to execute those meal programs."
Data from the 2021 National Survey of OAA Participants notes that 80% of participants report the program helped them to continue to live independently.
"We actually have two administrative offices," Johnston said. "One that is primarily the financial side of things here in Hutchinson and we have one in Wichita, which handles more of the site operations side of things. We actually just expanded that office, because, probably for the latter part of a decade, the organization has been understaffed. As part of my process here, I'm trying to make some adjustments to make the program work better."
According to the Administration for Community Living, Nutrition is a primary prevention, risk reduction or treatment modality for many of the most common chronic conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
If you'd like to find out more about how you can help Meals on Wheels or Friendship Meals, go online to https://www.agingprojectsks.org/.
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