Burnside serving up meals to seniors in Branch County

Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter
·4 min read

BRANCH COUNTY — For the first time since 2017, Branch County seniors are eating lunches at the Commission on Aging Burnside Center.

The congregate meals program moved back in at the first of the year for those 60 and older to receive a hot meal. Burnside serves them on china with silverware Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Helen Sturtz and nutrition director Mike Searing serve senior hot meals at the Burnside Center congregate meal program.
Helen Sturtz and nutrition director Mike Searing serve senior hot meals at the Burnside Center congregate meal program.

“On Tuesdays, they can get a frozen meal as well as a hot meal for Wednesday," COA nutrition director Mike Searing said. "And then they also get a hot meal and a frozen one Thursday to hold over for Friday. So, they can have five meals a week.”

Searing said, “When Community Action headed the program at the Church of Christ, they were averaging 16 meals (per day). And now we're averaging 57.”

Seniors are in line when service opens at 11:30 a.m. for the big rush. More trickle in during the next hour to enjoy meals together or by themselves.

Some coming for meals discovered other programs and services Burnsides provides seniors.

Seniors over 60 fill the Burnside Center commons room for congregate meal lunches.
Seniors over 60 fill the Burnside Center commons room for congregate meal lunches.

The food is substantial.

“We’ve had smothered pork loin, herb-roasted chicken, shepherd's pie,” Searing said.

Last Thursday, Burnside served chicken cacciatore.

The Community Action Agency out of Battle Creek held the contract for years. CAA used the Burnside Center until 2017 when a dispute over rent sent CAA elsewhere in Coldwater.

Last September, the COA won the bid for the federal grant from the Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging IIIC to take over senior meals in October.

CAA continued to provide the food and service until Burnside could ramp up in January.

COA-Burnside receives $144,813 for home-delivered meals-on-wheels then $48,533 for congregate meals for the current fiscal year October to September. That grant can be renewed for two more years.

AAA asks those who receive the meals to donate $3 per meal but it’s voluntary.

“It's completely anonymous. It's up to the individual person whether they want to donate to the program or not,” Searing said.

Volunteers help put drinks on trays for seniors at the Burnside congregate meals lunches.
Volunteers help put drinks on trays for seniors at the Burnside congregate meals lunches.

COA won the bids by offering to use part of the county-voted millage to supplement the food service program. The .4908 millage raises over $675,000 yearly for COA and Burnside operations.

Until the Burnside kitchen is fully operational Milestone Senior Services provides the meals for congregate and home-delivered food. Milestone was the lowest bid cost for pre-pared meals at $6 and $7 each.

Food is received and then plated at Burnside for those who eat there. Home delivered comes prepackaged.

“All of the bread from the catering company are made in-house," Searing said. "Everything is scratch cooked. We've gotten huge raves over the food for both congregate and home-delivered food.”

Prior story Commission on Aging to return to Burnside Center to provide senior meal program

COA is sending out home-delivered meals three days a week also to cover five days of meals. About 80 county residents receive them weekly, often their only freshly prepared meals.

COA promised to end the waiting list as part of its bid. The request for delivered meals had topped 100 at times when CAA had the contract.

Searing said there are about 29 more now on the waitlist. More delivery volunteers are the issue.

“I'm looking for part-time volunteers for home delivery. Volunteers do get paid mileage at the county rate. They use their personal vehicles, so they get the mileage reimbursement.”

“It's very rewarding. I go out on routes, so I see all aspects of congregate and the home delivery,” Searing said.

Last week, he was out in the rain making deliveries.

COA will take over the preparation of all the meals as soon as Burnside Center cooler/freezer is replaced. It was a problem before CAA ended the use of the Burnside kitchen.

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Branch County commissioners in November approved A $71,900 contract with R. W. LaPine of Kalamazoo for the demolition and removal of the existing walk-in cooler and freezer. As soon as it receives delivery the company will install a new 18-foot by 9-foot outdoor walk-in cooler/freezer on the rear of the current kitchen. Supply chain delays are the problem.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Congregate meals serving at Burnside Senior Center after move from CAA