New Boss Will Work to Help Lift Seniors

By Johyne' Taylor Hill, San Jose Mercury News

February 8, 2008

Imagine living life alone, housebound, on a fixed income, regularly facing the question of whether to buy the medicine you need or to buy food.

For a growing number of Alameda County residents, this situation is their reality. Unable to help themselves, they rely on programs such as Meals on Wheels to provide daily necessities. Meals on Wheels' new executive director, Cindy Houts, brings a lifetime of service to this compassionate community organization.

Houts, who lives in Alameda, worked in health care administration for 16 years, most recently as a bone marrow transplant administrative coordinator for Alta Bates. But the challenges of working with so many patients on the brink of death lead her to seek a change of pace.

She worked in real estate for six years, but as she married and turned 50, she decided it was time to take a break and look for a vocation where she could make a difference in people's lives. Over the years, she has participated in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk and the AIDS Cycle for Life, and she wanted something to feel good about again.

Fortunately for Alameda County seniors, she found her 3-month-old position at Meals on Wheels.

Houts, a native Californian, has lived in the Bay Area since attending Santa Clara University, and she's made Alameda her home for the last 13 years.

"I love Alameda," said Houts. "I moved here when my son was 18 months old; I targeted the schools. He's in 8th grade in public school now.

"It's a wonderful community to raise my child. It reminds me of Laguna when I was growing up, seeing people you know around town," she added. "I enjoy annual progressive dinner parties, New Year's Eve and Fourth of July parties. It's a wonderful community and so unusual these days."

She has been very active in and schools and the community on the Island, helping on fundraising with the PTA at Edison and Lincoln Middle schools. She also volunteers at the Alameda Food Bank

But in her new job, she has expanded her focus to all of Alameda County and the work being done by volunteers to help older residents.

Meals on Wheels is a charitable organization that provides one warm meal a day to homebound seniors who often live alone or are recovering from an illness. The meals are approved by a nutritionist and delivered largely by volunteer drivers. The daily delivery also allows the drivers to check in with the seniors and make sure they're still doing well.

"The visits brighten the seniors' day, and for a lot of them, that's the only nutrition they get the entire day," said Houts. "We deliver in the mornings, and they'll eat half and eat the other half for dinner. For a lot of them, that's the only food they have. They're homebound, so they can't shop or cook for themselves."

Any senior 60 years old or older who cannot purchase or prepare his or her own meals is eligible. The seniors are asked to make a contribution to help pay for their food if possible, but many can barely pay for their medication and other bills. This is primarily due to decreased federal funding for senior programs over the years, leaving the burden on the shoulders of seniors on fixed incomes.

"(The situation) will continue to get worse because federal funding has been stagnant since 1992, the cost of fuel is expected to increase by over 10 percent this year, food costs are going up and (this will cause) seniors with limited money to be able to give less because they have less," explained Houts. "The senior population is increasing. Alameda County expects 23 percent more seniors by 2020. Of that segment, the biggest numbers are going to 85 years or older."

Within the county program, there are six local Meals on Wheels chapters. Of those six, three programs have insufficient funding and volunteers to meet the needs of all those qualifying in their area, resulting in a waitlist.

"To turn anyone away that needs food is heartbreaking," said Houts.

For Meals on Wheels, which is run almost entirely by volunteers, fundraising is crucial. Funds are raised through grants from foundations, contributions from local organizations and individuals, and through Five-Star Night, an annual four-course dinner and dessert buffet prepared by top Bay Area chefs and hosted by celebrity chef Narsai David. This year, it will be held May 2 in Oakland.

Occasionally, funding comes from unexpected sources, such as an $84,000 donation from a court settlement Meals on Wheels was not directly involved in. The attorneys in the case, involving companies that overcharged for car paint refinishing, decided to donate the settlement money to charities that used cars in their work. However, even with this money, there is still a growing need for resources to fund this ongoing service.

"It's exciting and challenging, and the benefit is knowing that these people are getting fed and checked on and cared for," said Houts. "It's been remarkable to see the generosity of our donors. I'm looking forward to finding new sources of funding for our seniors."

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