Ocean County Leader

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners has secured significant contracts to ensure the provision of home-delivered and congregate site meals for seniors in the county. Barbara Jo Crea, Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and chairwoman of the Office of Senior Services, emphasized the importance of this program, stating, "Our home delivered meal program functions as a lifeline for thousands of senior citizens living in Ocean County that may be homebound or unable to cook for themselves or simply can't get to a store to purchase food."

A contract worth $3,534,008 was awarded to Community Services Inc. This agreement aims to deliver more than 264,000 meals to 1,400 clients and provide an additional 8,700 congregate meals at various senior nutrition sites across the county. Crea highlighted the broader role these services play: "The home delivered meal is much more than just a meal delivery... The home delivered meal drivers provide much more than food. They provide peace of mind for many of our seniors and are often the first to identify and report changes in the consumer's health or well-being."

Meals are largely prepared at the Ocean County Southern Service Center in Stafford Township before being distributed throughout the area.

Additionally, a $1.4 million contract was granted to Lakewood Community Service Corp., which will deliver over 61,000 meals in 2025. The organization also plans to open a new congregate meal site expected to serve more than 4,000 meals.

Both contracts include socialization and recreation programs alongside outreach efforts and caregiver support groups.

With over 200,000 seniors residing in Ocean County—more than any other county in New Jersey—Crea noted that providing these services is essential: "It's a priority of the Board to provide services and programs for our seniors that will help them continue to live independently and with a good quality of life."