Committee forwards Meals on Wheels grant extension and $31.4M increase for home‑delivered meals

The Budget & Finance Committee forwarded a resolution to the full Board to amend the grant between the City and Meals on Wheels of San Francisco, extending the agreement through June 30, 2025, and increasing the not‑to‑exceed amount to about $31.4 million.

Tiffany Kearney, lead nutritionist at the Department of Disability and Aging Services, said Meals on Wheels is the largest home‑delivered meal provider in the city, delivering at least two meals a day, seven days a week, with menus meeting dietary guidelines and options for diabetic, low‑sodium and modified‑texture meals. Kearney said the grant includes compliance and quality assurance requirements and that Meals on Wheels had evaluation scores of 93% or higher for the prior three years.

The Budget and Legislative Analyst noted that the proposed budget assumes a reduction in the number of clients served from 3,600 to 3,200 during the extended period and that funding would come from a mix of federal, state and local sources. Supervisor Marr asked why Meals on Wheels had been selected when another respondent scored higher on the RFP; staff explained that all respondents received awards but Meals on Wheels is the only provider able to deliver citywide coverage, while other providers were funded to cover cuisine‑specific or district‑specific services.

The committee voted to forward the resolution with a positive recommendation.