A COVID-19 meal program offered by the California Nutrition Center will be left by the curb at the end of the year.
The curbside delivery program at the California Nutrition Center will end Dec. 30. Kim Drummond, lead center administrator, said the program was initially offered as a workaround to the COVID-19 pandemic and was not intended to be permanent.
She said inflation was the biggest factor in determining whether to cut the program.
"The board made that difficult decision because the food costs are so high and groceries are costing $5,000, $6,000 a month, and paper products are $800 to $1,000 a month," Drummond said.
Drummond said dining seniors can dine in or sign up for home-delivered meals.
"We do have a home-delivery program of quality frozen meals that can be sent each week to anyone 60 and over that would like to receive food, and there's some other groceries that go along with that," she said.
Drummond said the center's board may consider bringing the program back if its financial outlook improves.
Lunch is served from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. weekdays at the center, 107 W. Versailles Ave. The center is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and can be contacted at 573-796-4240.
CORRECTION: The state of the COVID-19 pandemic did not factor into the board's decision to cancel the curbside delivery program.