Meals on Wheels thriving again with new director

Meals on Wheels thriving again with new director

Orange County's Meals on Wheels program, which suffered what the citizens' board described as a "crisis" in late April, is now thriving again with a new director and income.

Kristen Ross, a native of Orange with experience in public healthcare, is the new director. Also, Golden Triangle Polymers donated $15,000, plus a fundraiser for the group sold $1,657 barbecue sandwich lunches.

Meals on Wheels in Orange County delivers hot, balanced meals five days a week to senior and disabled citizens who are shut-ins. In late April, the program ran out of money and about 300 people went without meals.

The citizen board of directors dismissed the executive director of the program and started delivering frozen meals for a short time until the program could recover.

Ross has now been hired to oversee the program, which delivers meals to about 300 people, along with serving meals daily to about 100 low-income seniors who go the the Essie Bellfield Community Center in Orange to eat a hot lunch. The seniors not only enjoy a meal with company, they are able to play games, do crafts and socialize.

All the meals are cooked in a commercial kitchen at the community center, which serves as the hub for the Meals on Wheels meal distribution.

Ross is a native of Orange and graduated from West Orange-Stark High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration from Texas Southern University and then a master's degree in business administration from Texas Woman's University. She has more than 10 years of experience working with the Houston Health Department.

"Kristen has a heart to serve and is passionate about creating a lasting impact, developing sustainable programs, and ensuring that resources reach those who need them most. Kristen is excited to lead the Orange Community Action Association- Meals on Wheels in restoring its community impact, building on the organization’s past success and leading it into its next chapter," said Brittany Chandler, a board member of the program. "Meals on Wheels looks forward to seeing its seniors back in our centers for congregate meals, and enjoying other program activities as they unfold."

Last week, a couple of dozen volunteers showed up to help with a barbecue sandwich fundraiser for the group, with LBS Barbecue and Catering cooking the beef brisket and pulled pork for sandwiches. A total of 1,657 sandwich lunches were sold at $15 each.

Tuesday, Orange County Commissioners Court approved a resolution to support the local Meals on Wheels to get a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture Texans Feeding Texans Home Delivered Meals program.

The local group is also supported by contributions from Orange County, the city of Orange, United Way of Orange County, Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission, and private donations.