CULLMAN — Local officials are responding to a recent report ranking Alabama among the worst states for senior citizens to beat hunger by highlighting Cullman County as a bright exception to the report’s bleak findings.

The report, released by the research arm of national nonprofit Meals on Wheels and reported last week in The Birmingham News, named the state the sixth-worst in the U.S. for seniors living at or below the hunger threshold.

Maybe. But, according to the director of the Cullman County Commission on Aging, Cullman County is serving seniors at a far higher level than the low state ranking — which claims 17 percent of Alabama seniors are going hungry — indicates.

“Not in Cullman County,”  said Commission on Aging director Randall Shedd Wednesday.

“Cullman County takes care of our seniors, thanks to the United Way of Cullman and a partnership consisting of the Cullman County Commission on Aging, the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments (NARCOG), the Alabama Department of Senior Services, and   so many area churches, businesses and good corporate citizens, such as Wal Mart. And, our county is fortunate to have a host of volunteers, who prepare and deliver meals for seniors every day.”

Shedd said the Commission on Aging, along with its network of partners, delivered 29,211 hot meals to homebound seniors, and provided 33,369 meals at senior centers or senior events. That’s 62,580 meals supplied to local seniors in 2011 — almost as many meals as there are residents in the entire county.

He also said the local effort is a pretty efficient process, with 100 percent of local United Way dollars allocated to the Commission on Aging going directly for the purchase of meals for seniors in Cullman County.

Pam Whitt of United Way of Cullman County agreed a strong local base exists to serve seniors in need of food assistance.

“I certainly can’t speak to what’s happening in other counties, but we feel rather confident that the senior citizens in Cullman have good support, if we are made aware of their needs,” said Whitt.

“Between the United Way of Cullman County and the agencies in Cullman and other organizations, like churches, we do everything we can to provide for their basic needs. We raise funds for our partner agencies, and we try to work together so that there will be an appropriate response to whomever calls us needing help.”

Shedd reiterated the many avenues local seniors have to obtain food assistance, as well as other services. There are hot meals available every weekday at six senior centers across the county, as well as at the Crane Hill senior center on Tuesdays-Thursdays.

“We welcome everyone age 60 or older to attend the senior centers,” Shedd said. “Hot meals are served daily, and we do not charge for the meals. But, we do accept donations.”

The Commission on Aging also works with Cullman Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) to ensure seniors with limited mobility options don’t miss the opportunity to make it to the senior centers.

“The Commission on Aging pays CARTS to provide free transportation for seniors to and from the senior centers,” said Shedd. “Any senior interested in riding CARTS to a senior center should call the Commission on Aging at 734-1241 to get set up for transportation.”

Seniors who are totally homebound can also have meals delivered to their homes. With a large network of volunteers, and in partnership with United Way, NARCOG and Alabama Department of Senior Services, home-delivered meal routes operate out of all seven full-time senior centers.

To be eligible for the home-delivered meals, a person must be age 60 or older, living within approximately five miles of a full-time senior center — a requirement to ensure safe food temperatures while the food is en route — and be totally homebound, without a caregiver. Frozen meals are also available to those who are eligible for home-delivered meals, but live outside the service area for hot meals.

“The home-delivered meals program is a need-based service — not an entitlement program,” Shedd stressed. “We raise money locally, through United Way and through other donations, to provide meals above and beyond those provided through NARCOG and the Alabama Department of Senior Services.”

One reason Cullman County can take pride in its senior services lies in the strength of its partnerships, as well as the will of local volunteers never to be content in the false assurance that their help won’t be welcome.

“We invite individuals, businesses, churches and groups to sponsor meals,” Shedd said. “A homebound senior can be provided hot meals for about $2.90 per day, and frozen meals for $4.07 per day. So, sponsors can make donations of $58 per month to help make sure seniors in Cullman County do not go hungry.”

Whitt said the Cullman County Commission on Aging provides an invaluable one-stop point of contact for seniors whose needs extend beyond hunger.

“They certainly are the place to go for just about every kind of assistance pertaining to seniors,” said Whitt. “They can help seniors with legal issues; they can assist with prescription drug programs and arrange transportation for those who need it. They have the senior centers, where you can have not only food but fellowship — because, remember, a lot of seniors are either widows or their children have moved away and they spend a lot of time alone — so the social aspect of what they provide is also very significant. ”

Shedd said the health of an area’s senior services is often a reflection of the support it receives not only from charitable organizations, but from local governments. In that respect, he said, Cullman County stands out.

“We are fortunate at the Commission on Aging to be a department of the Cullman County Commission,” he said. “For 35 years, the Commission on Aging has been the source for retirees and seniors in Cullman County, and being a department of the county government — instead of a state, federal or totally non-profit agency — has meant stability for seniors in Cullman County.”

If you or a senior you know needs help, contact the Cullman County Commission on Aging at 256-734-1241, or email Randall Shedd at rshedd@co.cullman.al.us. You can also get in touch with United Way of Cullman County, either as a volunteer, donor or to request assistance, by calling 256-739-2948.

In addition, you can directly contact the local Full-time senior centers with daily hot meals at the phone numbers listed below:



* Benjamin Bullard can be reached by e-mail at bbullard@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.