Contact
Dave Fotsch
Public Information Officer
Central District Health Department
208-327-8639
Angela Spain
Senior Nutrition Program
208-327-8544
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May 14, 2007
Meals on Wheels, Project RE-Cell Expand Partnership
The partnership between Project RE-cell and Meals On Wheels has been a tremendous success and is now about to get even better. For over a year Meals On Wheels has been collecting cell phones and Project RE-cell has either refurbished or recycled the phone components. For its efforts Meals On Wheels has earned over $3,300. Now Meals On Wheels will start collecting used printer and toner ink cartridges, iPODs, MP3 players, digital cameras and all associated accessories. Project RE-cell will in turn either refurbish or recycle these items and provide the Meals On Wheels program with cash.
"We're excited about this extended partnership," said Angela Spain, Senior Nutrition Program Manager at Central District Health, "because the project helps us feed over 600 seniors in our communities, and also because Project RE-cell keeps all these items out of our landfills."
The Meals On Wheels provides daily hot, nutritious meals to homebound seniors in Ada and Elmore Counties. While the program receives some federal, state and county support, and seniors are asked to make a donation for the meals they receive, the combined funding streams consistently fall short of the actual costs.
"Every meal costs about $5.00 to produce. Program participants are asked to make a $3.00 donation for each meal, but the average donation is only about a dollar. The difference is made up through direct donations from supporters, general fund monies of the Health District and partnerships like this one with Project RE-cell," said Spain.
The public is urged to donate used printer and toner ink cartridges, iPODs, MP3 Players, digital cameras, cell phones and all associated accessories to the Meals On Wheels program located at Central District Health Department at 707 N. Armstrong Place in Boise. Drop boxes are available at the front door.
"We'd also like to encourage businesses to collect these items for Meals On Wheels at their own locations," said Spain. "Project RE-cell has arranged for United Parcel Service to pick up the items at no cost to the business," she said. Businesses can contact Norma Russell, Senior Nutrition Program assistant at 208-327-7460 to receive further instructions about how to set up a collection site at their business.
