City Working to Move Seniors From Great Plates Program

With less than a month to go until the city’s Great Plates program ends, the Parks Recreation and Community Services Department is looking to move local seniors needing assistance getting food to another program.

The Great Plates program is designed to support adults 60 and older who are at home due to the state’s order and at high risk from the coronavirus. The program delivers three nutritious meals a day, and also provides essential economic stimulus to local businesses and workers.

But that service will end next month.

In November, the City Council unanimously extended Pasadena’s participation in the state-administered meals program through Feb. 7. At that time, the council acknowledged that the city’s monthly cost of about $466,000 would sting, but stressed the program’s importance in helping local restaurants survive the COVID-19 economic tumble.

In total, 21 local restaurants delivered food to 235 seniors who were at high risk for complications caused by the virus and unable to access meals.

As a result of the city’s participation in the program, 110 local restaurant workers were rehired, and three shuttered restaurants reopened, rehiring 15 workers. 

The city planned to move some of its seniors to the county’s Great Plates program, but that program is no longer accepting applications. 

Seniors could be transferred to the YWCA frozen meal delivery program and other food banks.

Great Plates is administered by the California Office of Emergency Services but requires a local agency to pay the upfront costs. The city is eligible for reimbursement of up to 93.75 percent of the costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (75 percent) and the state (18.75 percent), leaving the city on the hook for just 6.25 percent of the program’s total costs.

Total reimbursement is not guaranteed, and any funds returned will likely take years to land in city coffers, a real worry as the city’s 5 percent General Fund Operating Reserve balance — basically, its rainy-day fund — has fallen from $13.8 million to $1.7 million during the COVID crisis.

The city approved more than $2.3 million in Great Plates outlays.

The city has allocated $1.22 million to boost local food banks and pantries.

“The program has been a huge benefit to the seniors and restaurants in the program,” said Brenda Harvey-Williams, who leads the city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Service Department. “ It has helped to fill a gap for, both, the restaurants and seniors. We knew the program would eventually end, but we are happy we have been able to operate for as long as we have.”