Skagit Council on Aging to take over senior meals program in Skagit County
The Skagit Council on Aging has announced that it will run Skagit County's senior meals program beginning July 1, taking over operations from the county, which has run the program since 1977.
The Skagit Council on Aging is a nonprofit that has served as a fundraising organization for the county's senior meals program, known as Meals on Wheels, for about 20 years, said Skagit Council on Aging President Elena Roppel.
Skagit County announced in the fall that it would hand off the senior meals program to an outside provider starting on July 1.
After months of searching, and time running out, the Skagit Council on Aging stepped up.
The organization's board voted Apr. 8 to transition from its fundraising role to an operational role.
Roppel said in a news release that the board recognized a sense of urgency in the situation.
"Everyone was waiting for a group or organization to step up and take on the program once the county contract ends, but no one was willing or able to do so," Roppel said in the news release. "Our board voted to take on the program and attempt to save it. We will do our very best to keep the program operating and sustainable for the long‑term future."
Roppel said the Skagit Council on Aging's next steps will be to retain the current senior meals program employees and volunteers, and work on the program's structure.
She said the Skagit Council on Aging intends for a smooth transition between providers.
"Our intention is that seniors will continue to receive the same services they receive today," Roppel said in the news release. "There will be no gap in meal services, and we plan to keep the program as intact as possible while we take on this new operational role."
The senior meals program will remain largely unchanged in 2026, the news release states, allowing the Skagit Council on Aging board and its staff an opportunity to assess the program's needs.
In the fall, the Skagit County Board of Commissioners approved handing off the senior meals program to an outside provider, citing high program costs, the ability of a nongovernmental group to run the program more efficiently, and a large budget deficit.
The Northwest Regional Council, the organization in charge of contracting with local senior meals providers, put out a formal Request for Proposals in February and March, but received no bids.
The county spent about $1.1 million a year on the senior meals program.
By comparison, the contractor that takes it over is set to receive about $600,000 a year in federal and state funding, while the county will put forth about $250,000 and equipment and materials for the transition period.
Skagit County spokesperson Jenn Rogers said the county is happy to hear that the Skagit Council on Aging will be taking over the senior meals program.
Because the organization is familiar with the current meals program, it is in a good position to take over operations.
Rogers wrote in an email, "With their organization's singular focus on Senior Services, they are well positioned to assume the new role as the provider of the senior meal program given their intimate knowledge of the program. They have been an excellent partner with the County in the past as the main fundraising arm for Skagit Meals on Wheels and we are confident they will be successful transitioning the program this summer."
Roppel said the county's decision to hand off the program presents challenges, but the decision shouldn't be seen as a negative.
"The county ending the contract should be viewed through a positive lens," Roppel said. "A nonprofit stepping into this role may allow us to form new community collaborations and access funding opportunities that were not previously available under county operations."
Roppel said the Skagit Council on Aging will use fundraising dollars to help offset any funding shortages during the transition phase.
"This initial period will help us identify opportunities for efficiency while staying true to our mission of keeping Skagit County seniors fed," Roppel said.
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