The free meal program approved by The Los Angeles City Council which approved $11 million for a meals program for seniors in the city has begun.
“As the weather gets colder and days get shorter, it is important that seniors are aware of resources available to them. The Department of Aging is now accepting applications for the Rapid Response Senior Meals Program (RRSMP) which offers 5 home-delivered meals each week to individuals 60 years and older,” wrote Councilwoman Monica Rodríguez on Instagram.
“I encourage you to help your parents and grandparents enroll in this program and contact the Department of Aging for further information,” she added.
The council recently voted unanimously to support the design and implementation of the Rapid Response Senior Meals Program through June 2024, but may look to extend the program through September 2024.
Council members Bob Blumenfield and Katy Yaroslavsky were absent during the vote.
A total of $15 million was allocated for the program as part of the 2023-24 fiscal year. The remaining $4 million will be expended in the future to address any shortcomings as the city rolls out the program.
Of the $11 million voted on Tuesday, $10 million will be used for contractual services with meal providers and the remaining funds will be used for staffing, administrative, outreach and eligibility reporting.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city implemented the Emergency Senior Meals program through a sole-source contract with Everytable Inc. to address food insecurity for seniors over the age of 60.
When the pandemic emergency order ended on Feb. 1, the emergency senior meals program ended. The department then transitioned to work on the successor program, Rapid Response Senior Meals.
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