The City of Citrus Heights is excited to announce the Meals on Wheels program is returning to Citrus Heights. Previously shuttered, the program is relaunching thanks to vocal community support, City of Citrus Heights grant funding, and partnership with Sunrise Recreation and Parks District (SRPD).
In December 2023 the SRPD Board of Directors approved the one-year contract for Meals on Wheels to resume its program at Crosswoods Community Center, l
ocated at 6742 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights. Funding for the program comes from the City’s Community Support Funds and the 2024 Community Development Block Grant. Additional funding was provided by Agency on Aging Area 4. This program runs through December 2024 and will be like the one offered to area seniors before the pandemic at Rusch Community Park.
Meals on Wheels will provide hot meals to local seniors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The program will start by serving 20 meals daily and up to 60 meals weekly. Through Meals on Wheels, a registered dietitian plans and prepares meals, providing nutritionally sound means that enable seniors to maintain their independence. Meals are delivered by staff and volunteers who provide daily social contact and monthly nutrition information and are a resource for community services.
“Our community’s seniors are a prime example of our City’s tagline—Solid Roots, New Growth. Much of our community has been here since our inception, planting roots to raise families and creating wonderful lives in Citrus Heights,” says Mayor Bret Daniels. “The Meals on Wheels program returning to Citrus Heights will help our senior residents continue to thrive via healthy meals and connections with other seniors. Our City Council expressed a strong desire to revitalize this program, and we’re proud to be able to do that through this partnership with Sunrise Recreation and Parks District.”
“Creating a space for seniors to come and enjoy a hot meal with others is crucial to addressing social, emotional, and nutritional needs. Sunrise Recreation and Parks District is proud to provide the space where seniors can feel connected to one another and the community as a whole,” says Kevin Huntzinger, District Administrator for Sunrise Recreation and Parks District. “We hope that through this collaboration with the City of Citrus Heights, we can prevent isolation and promote health in our senior community.”