BRINNON — The congregate meals program at the Brinnon Community Center will no longer operate after the end of the month because too few people use the service.
Olympic Community Action Programs posted the notification at the community center at 306144 U.S. Highway 101 earlier this week.
“We have not reached our required benchmark to keep this program going,” said Kathy Crowley, OlyCAP senior nutrition specialist. “It is no longer financially sustainable.”
The home delivery program will continue.
Crowley said 21 participants would be required to keep the program going but that an average of 15.4 people used the service during 2010.
There was a similar shortfall in 2008, but the program was sustained through the use of federal stimulus money, which expired at the end of 2010, she said.
The program expects to serve nearly 7,000 fewer meals in 2011 than in 2010, so there is less room to absorb the increased costs in a part of the program, according to OlyCAP Executive Director Tim Hockett.
Meals were served three days a week and were prepared to strict nutritional standards, Crowley said.
Crowley said the home delivery program serves an average of four people in the Brinnon area.
Meals served vary according to the client, but they can be as many as seven per week, she said.
Ken Dane, OlyCAP resource development director, said the agency tried find a way to provide meals for the Brinnon-area people who used the meal services but that efforts were unsuccessful.
Crowley said those who used the service could find similar programs in Chimacum and Port Townsend.
Crowley said she did not expect that those receiving meals at the community center would be able to take advantage of the home delivery program “because the requirements are very different.”
For more information, phone 360-385-2571, ext. 6330, or visit www.olycap.org.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
