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Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP)

The Elderly Nutrition Program (now called the Nutrition Services
Incentive Program) enables seniors to receive nutritious meals either at home, or with other seniors by providing funding for two senior nutrition programs. The Home Delivered Meal Program, often referred to as Meals on Wheels, delivers prepared meals to disabled and homebound seniors who are unable to cook or shop for themselves. The Senior Congregate Meal Program, also known as the All Seasons Café in Sacramento, serves meals to groups of seniors at social and community centers.

Nationally, more seniors receives services from ENP than Food Stamps. However, unlike Food Stamps, ENP is not an entitlement program and limited funding can result in long waiting lists or site closings. Both of these have been issues in Sacramento County.

In Sacramento County, the Department of Human Assistance and California Emergency Foodlink operate home delivered meal programs and senior congregate meals sites. Combined, these programs served over 582,000 meals to Sacramento's seniors in 2002.

For more information on the Elderly Nutrition Program (now called the Nutrition Services Incentive Program), please see the USDA's Fact Sheet.

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